The Calling (Complete)
by Barewolf
Summary: Heero is compelled to reveal a big secret from his dark and cruel past, a secret that unites the Gundam pilots and their comrades on a mercy quest for reconciliation and healing...
1. Chapter 1

Please enjoy, and do please leave chapter reviews, just a nod that you're reading it, as it's always appreciated and does encourage me to do more.

Much thanks. Barewolf.

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 **The Calling** By Barewolf

 **Chapter One**

Temperatures were high that day. The sun blazed with graceful intensity between the few wisps of cloud that sparsely peppered the sky.

Quatre was used to the heat. Being Arabian, and having spent half his young life living in the dessert, he thought nothing of the near ninety-degree heat. However, Sally was finding it just a little too warm to be completely comfortable, but she wasn't complaining; She had been looking forward to this day for what seemed like an eternity.

For Sally, this was also to be the start of a short vacation. She had agreed to be Quatre's guest at the Winner mansion for a week after finally admitting she was feeling stressed and in need of a break from her somewhat hectic life as a civilian doctor.

They decided a trip to the coast seemed fitting for such a beautiful day, so armed with a picnic, a Rolls Royce and Quatre's faithful butler James, they headed off from the Winner mansion to a place known by very few people. An hour later, after winding their way along many green country lanes, they eventually pulled up to a gate at what seemed like the middle of nowhere.

"We've arrived Master Quatre," spoke James, applying the handbrake.

Quatre leant forward, pulling himself up between the front seats. He stared contemplatively at the woody green lane that lay beyond the gate.

"Yes, this is it, James. Oh, I remember it so well." He spoke quietly as thoughts of happier moments from his childhood ran through his mind. Sally pulled herself forward, holding onto the back of the passenger seat in front of her, moving next to him. She put her head close to his as she too peered curiously out of the windscreen at the woodland ahead.

"You've been here before?" she inquired quietly.

Quatre nodded, "Many times when I was a boy," he replied resting his chin on the back of James' seat, contemplating further into his memories. "My father used to bring us, that is, my sisters and I, here whenever he got the chance. It's so beautiful here," he whispered, recalling old memories. He visualised himself as a child, running barefoot across the nearby open meadows holding on to a kite, trying to get it to fly, playing childhood games like hide and seek, and tag, with his sisters, play-wrestling with his father and swimming in the secret lagoon and the nearby sea.

"Well, are we going to have a look, or just stare at it through the windscreen?" she asked, smiling, eager to get out and explore the area.

"Shall I get the hamper Master?" Asked James, making eye contact with him via the rear view mirror. The blonde Arab reluctantly broke from his daydreaming and nodded to James.

Quatre reached for the door handle and opened the door. "Come on then Sal," he said, "let's go and explore. I think you'll like it here."

They all wandered around to the back of the car, and James opened the trunk lid. Inside sat a large, rectangular, wicker basket.

"Shall I carry the basket for you Master?" asked the grey-suited man, respectfully.

"That won't be necessary James," Quatre replied, "I'll take it from here, but thanks anyway."

Quatre was about to reach in for the basket when James put his hand out to stop him.

"Then perhaps, if you'll forgive my presumptuousness, Master, I have taken the liberty," spoke James hesitantly.

He reached in and opened the wicker basket to reveal two pre-packed rucksacks. He lifted the largest one out and held it up for Quatre to slip his arms into.

Quatre gave a huge smile, laughing out loudly."Oh James!" he beamed, "what would I do without you? you're so resourceful and thoughtful, thank you." He bowed his head respectfully at the chauffeur in appreciation of his forethought, then turned around and slipped his arms through the straps, hoisting the bag onto his back.

After helping the young Arab adjust his straps for optimum comfort, James reached in and pulled out a second, much smaller rucksack for Sally.

"And one for Madam," he said holding it up for her to slip in her arms.

Sally smiled at him, then turned and slipped it on.

"I also took the liberty to pack some sunblock, it's in the side pocket Master," remarked James, gesturing to the rucksack on Sally's back.

"Thank you again, James," replied Quatre gratefully, "we will be gone probably until dusk," he looked at Sally for confirmation, she nodded in agreement.

"Can you pick us up from here later?"

"But of course master," was the humble reply.

"Then you should take the afternoon off James; I know you have family nearby, perhaps you would like to visit them," suggested Quatre.

"Thank you, sir, I was thinking the very same thing," came the respectful reply.

Well, it's entirely your choice, just enjoy your afternoon, and we'll see you at dusk," replied Quatre.

"Very good sir," replied James.

Quatre slipped his thumbs under his shoulder straps and turned to begin the walk.

James watched loyally as Quatre and Sally opened the big old gate and walked through, eventually disappearing out of sight, past a bend in the woodland path.

They were both dressed for the part, in walking boots, and knee-length safari shorts. Quatre's were sand coloured while Sally's were a military green, which also matched her military style green sleeveless top. Quatre's polo shirt was more brightly coloured with horizontal thin multicoloured stripes.

"You are so kind to your staff Quatre," Sally commented as they happily wandered their way along the enchanting green lane.

Quatre smiled, "Well I don't really consider James to be staff," he replied, "he's like one of the family really, he's been with us since long before I was born."

Sally grinned, "He's got a very dry sense of humour, I like that," she remarked, "and he likes you a lot Quatre, I can tell he's very loyal to you, he genuinely does care about you too; I can see it in his eyes."

Quatre looked down at the ground and sighed, nodding slightly at Sally's comments but suddenly looking a little saddened.

"When my father was killed, James took it very badly, he was devastated," he looked up to Sally who was listening carefully, "he was loyal to the core for my father, he admired and respected him so much. Quatre allowed his mind to conjure up images of the past, "since then, James and I, well, we just became much closer. I know he sees a lot of my Father in me, and that is one of the reasons he chose to remain, so his loyalty lives on. I always feel a bit guilty for ordering him around and telling him what to do, but he insists he wants nothing to change, and that is how he loves his job, and his life to be."

Sally nodded, quietly empathising with the sadness she could feel from Quatre's voice. She knew it was still hard for him to talk about his fathers' death so decided not to push the subject any further.

She looked around at their surroundings. They were still walking along a narrow, winding woody path, now abundant with white blossom on either side. She inhaled the sweet scent that filled the air.

"This is such a beautiful place Quatre," she sighed, reaching her hand out to a tall blade of grass and pulling on it.

Quatre looked at her and smiled, suddenly perking up from his slightly sombre condition, "You haven't seen anything yet," he beamed enigmatically. He looked ahead of them on the track, "It's not far now," he said

"What's not far?" asked Sally.

A large, knowing grin appeared on Quatre's face. "You'll see soon," he replied, not wanting to reveal too much.

A few minutes later they came to a narrowing in the path. The trees and undergrowth were untamed from where the path hadn't been used in the past few years.

"Aha!" called Quatre. He picked up a long stick from the ground and used it to beat away some thick nettles.

"This is it!" he replied, elated, "yes!"

In a few seconds, he had managed to clear a small hole in the shrubs and undergrowth lining the path. Sally could now see why he was getting excited. A small, rustic, wooden style sat hiding in the brush.

They both jumped over it onto the soft, pine needle floor and began walking the new, narrow path.

"So where does this lead to?" asked Sally once again.

Quatre just returned his enigmatic grin again. "You'll see," he chanted once again, "don't worry, it's not far now."

Quatre was being a little secretive, not wanting to reveal too much about where they were going. Sally was intrigued to know where it was that Quatre was taking her, but she could also see that he really wanted to surprise her. If it was one thing she had come to learn about him, it was that he loved to surprise people. He seemed to take his greatest pleasures from seeing the look on people's faces when he did things they were not expecting. He particularly loved to give gifts to the people close to him. Not horrendously expensive, lavish presents, but just small, simple, thoughtful gifts; the sort that meant more to a person at the time than the richest or most luxurious things ever could.

Sally decided not to ask anymore; she would just go along with whatever Quatre was planning, after all, she was still having a great time, and thoroughly enjoying the two of them spending some quality time together.

The small pine forest path was quite dark but soon began to change into a lighter, more deciduous Woodland. In the distance, they could hear the sound of running water, not just running, but water that seemed to be cascading from a great height. The path had been sloping downhill for the past half a mile or so.

Quatre was in his element. As they walked, he reminisced again about his previous visits when he was just a boy.

"It's all exactly how I remember it!" he kept exclaiming excitedly to Sally, continually scanning his eyes all around, "hardly anything has changed, it's like going back in time!"

Sally smiled as Quatre continued to walk quietly a couple of paces ahead of her on the narrow path. She realised she could see a change in him; she was witnessing a very magical side of his personality. At that moment, Quatre was radiating a charming innocence, an almost child-like presence of wonder and awe as he took in his surroundings, his jaw continuously open.

She observed him with silent adoration as they walked. Sally had so much love for Quatre, not necessarily in the romantic sense but more as a trusted and endearing friend. They shared a platonic love that allowed them to be the very closest of friends without the complications and stresses that came with romance. They were two kindred spirits who connected on a level that seemed to take them beyond regular friendship, and they both realised and understood that what they had, was very special.

As the sounds of the falling water came much closer, Quatre suddenly stopped on the path and turned around, beaming a huge grin.

Sally returned the smile. "What?" she asked.

"We're here," he beamed, "or at least we will be in a moment."

Sally looked ahead of them where the path seemed to disappear around some thick bushes and undergrowth. Quatre reached out and took Sally's hand.

"You have to close your eyes now," he grinned, "and promise me you won't open them until I say."

Sally knew he had been waiting a long time to show her this. She complied without questioning him.

He carefully led her further along the track. "Now Promise you won't peek," he asked, "it will spoil the surprise."

She could hear the smile in his voice. She was determined not to look.

"I promise Cat," she replied, her voice still a little giggly and nervous at the prospect of falling over.

A few moments later she knew they had reached an opening in the trees because her eyelids suddenly lit up as they stepped into the warm sunlight.

The sound of the cascading water also seemed to get louder as the vegetation was no longer shielding it.

"Are we out of the forest?" she asked.

"Sort of, yes and no," came the reply.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, why don't you see for yourself," replied Quatre in a strangely subdued, almost whispered voice, "Open your eyes, Sal."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Sally opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. As she saw what lay before them, her face lit up with astonishment and disbelief.

She exhaled a loud gasp beaming a huge, wondrous smile. "It's... It's so beautiful!" she gasped, almost unable to speak.

They stood, elevated, on the edge of a sloping, circular clearing in the forest. Nestled on the forest floor below them was a large crystal clear lagoon, its emerald-tinted water sparkling in the sunlight. To the far side of the lagoon was a sheer cliff-face that towered high above them, down which cascaded one of the most spectacular and beautiful natural waterfalls Sally had ever seen.

Colourful, tropical-looking plants and lush green, wild vegetation dominated the entire scene. Blossom seemed to grow everywhere in abundance, particularly in deep reds, yellows, and whites, with the sweet smell of nectar being carried throughout the entire area by the subtlest breeze.

"It's a paradise!" she gasped, her jaw open, still struggling to find the words.

"We used to call it the secret lagoon," replied Quatre quietly smiling, still looking out across this heavenly place.

Suddenly a movement caught his eye. He quickly pointed to a large flowering bush growing out of the sloping ground below them.

"Look! There!" he whispered excitedly, as his face lit up in wonder.

A small, fantastically colourful bird with a long pointed bill skilfully hovered around the foliage, delicately poking it into each of the trumpet like flowers for a few seconds, before moving on to the next.

Sally looked back at Quatre, her face beaming, radiating complete joy, "A hummingbird!" she beamed excitedly, "I've never seen one in the wild before."

Quatre began to feel a warm glow inside as the memories from the better days in his childhood continued to come flooding back. Seeing Sally's reaction was a bonus. He was so happy that she could see why this place was so special to him, and even more happy that she was so touched by its beauty and mystique.

They could have stood there all day, continuing to be awe-struck by its beauty, but Quatre was keen to explore further, curious as to what other memories he could stir up.

He scooped his arm under hers and pulled close to her side.

"Come on Sal, Let's go down there," he said, slowly easing her away from the mesmerising view.

Sally nodded, "Yes, I'd love to," she spoke softly, "can we get near the water?" she asked, "I wonder how cold it is?"

Quatre smiled, "The water is always warm here; I used to swim in it when I was a kid." He stopped and pointed down, "You see those bubbles coming up?"

Sal nodded.

"That's a hot spring, it keeps the water warm all year round."

Sally laughed, "If I'd have known, I would have brought my swimming costume."

They negotiated their way down the sometimes, rather precarious slope, and then stepped from the shadows and into the warm sunlight that filled the whole clearing, making the natural colours of the place glow with radiance and life. They wandered over and stood at the edge of the small lagoon shore, staring in awe at the huge cascading waterfall that towered above them.

"The water looks so inviting." She tugged at Quatre's arm, "Come on Cat, Let's go for a paddle," she grinned.

Minutes later after discarding their rucksacks, boots and socks, they were stood knee deep in the crystal clear, warm water. Sally began exploring off to the left, following the shoreline to see how near she could get to the waterfall before it got too deep. Quatre stayed put, just standing near to where they had first entered the water.

He stared down at his submerged toes as memories of his childhood came flooding back to him again. He recollected himself being about six or seven years old and standing in almost the very same spot, looking curiously down at his small feet being magnified and distorted by the clear water, his first practical lesson in the laws of light refraction.

As he drifted further into his memories he could subconsciously hear the laughter of some of his sisters playfully swimming and splashing around in the water. On the bank sat his father, smiling, relaxing, and watching over his children as they played in this paradise without a care in the world.

Quatre remembered how he used to swim out about halfway to the waterfall and dive down into the depths of the lagoon trying to pick up pebbles from the bottom.

Back then, the lagoon seemed so much larger. Just to swim out to its centre seemed like an expedition in itself, yet now, stood ankle-deep in the water, Quatre felt like he could almost reach out and touch the waterfall. The thought stayed with him for a while. He pondered on why his memories recalled the lagoon being so much larger, until he remembered that he was a very petite child. At seven years old, he was barely four feet tall, so obviously the world would have seemed a much bigger place to such a pint-sized person. Only when he hit his teens did Quatre really begin to sprout into the normal sized teenager he had become today.

He took a few steps sideways and quietly sat on a large waist-high boulder that protruded from the water. The abundance of the memories flashing back in his mind was beginning to make him feel a little melancholy. The last time he had set eyes on this place, he was just an innocent child, without a care in the world. Now, some eight years on, he was practically an adult, forced to grow up way too quickly because of war.

The same eyes that once looked upon this place as an untouchable, safe haven where only magical and wondrous things could happen, now looked upon this place knowing that it could all so easily be destroyed.

From all the terrible things he had witnessed during the war, his childhood memories now seemed tainted somehow. Despite the place being untouched or spoiled by time, in a sense, it no longer really felt like the magical place that his memories were so keen to hold on to.

He felt a slight sinking in his heart, a strange, deep, inner-sadness he could not easily explain. It was a bit like going to visit an old friend, only to discover that when you got there, they had passed away a long time ago.

As he sat, eyes half-closed, contemplating his feelings further, he pulled his wet feet up onto the boulder and wrapped his arms around his drawn-up legs, pressing his chin onto his knees, trying to find comfort from the pangs of sadness he was starting to feel.

A few moments later he felt a pair of arms tenderly wrap themselves around his shoulders, waking him from his daydream state. He glanced sideways to see Sally perched beside him on the boulder, leaning toward him, looking at him with compassion. She looked serious.

"Quatre, what's wrong?" she asked in a whispered voice. She could see the look of sadness in his eyes.

Quatre paused, sighing gently. "Oh, just memories," he replied equally as quietly, "so many memories, they've all come flooding back."

Sally didn't push for more answers. She could see he was in a deeply contemplative mood, but she could also detect the sadness he seemed to be radiating. Still with her arms around him, she tenderly laid her head on his shoulder and joined him looking out across the water.

They sat there in silence for several minutes before Quatre put his feet back down into the water. Sally sat up and took a deep breath. She felt so relaxed and contented.

With renewed enthusiasm, Quatre grinned at her.

"What?" she asked.

Quatre hesitated for a moment.

"Come on," he said standing up in the water and offering her his hand. She took it and he led them back to the pebble shore and then up to the open grass area where they had left their rucksacks and shoes.

"There's something else I want to show you," he said.

Sally smiled at him again, "You mean there's more?" she asked in a surprised voice.

Quatre beamed a knowing smile at her, "You'll like this I promise," he replied.

He gently led them, still barefoot, along a dry track until they came to a tall rock-face and what looked like a cave entrance. It was quite dark, but they could see light just a few feet through.

"It gets a little narrow here," commented Quatre, "so watch your head."

They cautiously shuffled through the narrow cave-like entrance and then followed a series of narrow channels between tall rock-faces with blue sky above them.

"Almost there," commented Quatre excitedly, "I hope it hasn't changed too much."

Eventually, they came to one final narrowing.

"After you," gestured Quatre.

Without hesitation, Sally, keen to see whatever it was Quatre wanted to show her, shuffled through the opening.

Moments later, they were stood on a large, tropical cove beach. Sally gave a quiet gasp.

Quatre came through and stood beside her.

"Yes!" He exclaimed excitedly, "it hasn't changed one bit!"

The sand beneath their feet was the purest white. It sat unspoilt, right out to the clear, deep turquoise-blue ocean some fifty-or-so paces ahead of them. The large unspoilt beach stretched for about a quarter of a mile in each direction. Plant and vegetation-rich rock-faces capped the cove at either end, with dense, palm-tree vegetation sweeping around the back of the entire cove, completing the incredibly wondrous picture.

The place was completely deserted, devoid of even the slightest signs of Humanity.

"Very few people know of this place," said Quatre.

"Oh Cat, this whole area is so beautiful," replied Sally, still awe-struck by the view.

Quatre grinned, he had a slightly playful look in his eye. "C'mon, I'll race you." He called as he began running towards the sea.

Sally grinned, and quickly took off after him.

Moments later they were jumping about in the sea, splashing water at each other as they laughed and giggled like two excited little kids.

Quatre was the first to fall over. After stumbling on a submerged pebble, he wound up sitting on his butt in a few inches of water. The shocked, but still grinning looks on his face sent Sally into fits of laughter.

He got up in time to miss the next incoming wave, but the damage had been done and he knew he would have to endure soggy shorts for the next few hours until they dried out.

Still grinning, Sally helped Quatre brush the wet sand off before gently taking hold of his arm and placing it in hers. Then they began a slow stroll along the shoreline, taking time to just talk, and to be with each other while relaxing in the wondrous natural beauty and warmth of their surroundings.

After nearly an hour, they arrived back at the Lagoon, both a little tired from their walk and all the fresh air.

"You hungry?" asked Quatre

"Starving!" she replied.

Sally sat down on the grass and leant back against the tree trunk, whilst Quatre opened the larger of the two rucksacs and peered in. Moments later he looked up at Sally with a grin.

"You like Champagne?" he asked, pulling from the bag a half sized bottle and two crystal glasses.

"Wow, Champagne," commented Sally "I love it, that is, whenever I get the chance to drink it."

Quatre scrutinised the label on the bottle for a moment then laughed out. "James! Bless him!" he grinned, "its alcohol free Champagne!"

A few minutes later they were sat next to each other, both leaning against the same tree, enjoying a variety of gastronomic treats, like smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches followed by some rather rich chocolate fudge cake. Quatre picked up his Champagne glass and held it out in front of them; he looked at Sally with a caring smile.

"A toast," he said quietly.

Sally reached down and picked up her own glass, reaching it out to join his.

"To a great friendship," said Quatre simply, "may ours be as enduring and as long lasting as Gundanium alloy."

"To friendship" repeated Sally, smiling, gently tapping their glasses together, "To a very _wonderful_ friendship."

Sally finally stirred from a wonderfully peaceful doze. Quatre was still sleeping peacefully, laying on his back, stretched out on the soft warm grass with his head resting in her lap. She remained leaning back against the tree trunk.

She couldn't remember another time when she had felt so deeply and wonderfully relaxed. The Sun was still beating its warmth down upon them both, although she could sense that the evening was not too far away. She looked down at the blonde youth's head she was cradling on her lap and smiled compassionately.

"He's so adorable when he's sleeping," she thought silently, grinning to herself.

She observed him for a few moments. His hands clasped loosely together resting lightly against his stomach, elbows propped on the soft grass he was laying on. She watched the rising and falling of his chest, his breath slow, relaxed, unflustered. Reaching down she slowly and very gently began to comb her fingers through his soft blond hair. He seemed to purr quietly with contentment as she lovingly ran her fingertip across his forehead, tracing it down the length of his nose to the tip.

Taking a deep breath, Quatre slowly opened his eyes and looked up dreamily into hers. He smiled.

"Hello sleepy," she whispered calmly, smiling back at him, continuing to caress his hair. Quatre closed his eyes in a slow-motion blink, and gave a contented hum, followed by a long, deep sigh. He didn't want this moment to end. He could not recall another time where he had felt so at peace. Sally could sense Quatre's contentment. It gave her a great feeling of warmth in her heart to see him so genuinely, and unreservedly at ease for a change.

They sat for a while longer enjoying the moment.

Eventually, Quatre took a deep breath and reluctantly, very reluctantly, hauled himself up into a sitting position, facing Sally.

He looked up, scanning the sky and surroundings with his eyes, "I suppose we should start thinking about heading back. James will be arriving to meet us soon," he said, still with a dreamy expression. Sally reluctantly nodded in agreement.

As they unenthusiastically put back on their socks and walking boots, they hardly spoke a word. Both seemed to be savouring the remaining few minutes of their time in this heavenly paradise before they would have to leave it behind and return home.

"We absolutely _have_ to do that again!" Said Sally as they walked back along the pine-forest path towards the old wooden style. Quatre nodded agreeing enthusiastically, "I've had such a great time today Sally," he replied, "I couldn't have had better company, thank you so much for allowing me to share this with you," his tone was genuinely appreciative.

"No Quatre, thank _you_! " She replied, beaming an appreciative smile, "Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful time. The memories I have of today, I will cherish forever."

Quatre smiled, not responding verbally. He stepped up on the style, turned and reached his hand back for Sally, helping her back onto the overgrown woodland path.

Within twenty minutes or so, they were back in the Rolls Royce, being silently whisked back along numerous small, green country roads, heading for home.

It was perfect timing, James had arrived just moments before they reached the gate from where they first embarked on their memorable visit to the secret lagoon.

They said very little in the car on the way home. They mostly looked out of the windows, watching the world go by, and watching the sun slowly disappearing below the distant horizon. Occasionally, they would glance toward each other, smiling, sometimes they would hold hands, as they both contemplated and digested the simple, yet wondrous events of the day.

Quatre kept periodically glancing at his watch. He had one more surprise tucked up his sleeve for Sally, but getting the timing right was crucial.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Within an hour, they pulled up on the long gravel drive to the Winner mansion. It was almost fully dark, but the warm glow from the Georgian windows of the mansion was a welcoming sight.

A minute or so later the luxury car stopped at the base of the stone steps leading up to the main entrance.

James opened Sally's door and she stepped out onto the white gravel drive. Quatre walked around and stood beside her. He offered her his arm and pulled her close, giving her a slightly mischievous expression as he looked her in the eyes.

Sally looked at him. She knew he was up to something. "What is it Cat?" she asked, grinning back.

"Nothing," he replied dismissively, "come on, lets get some dinner."

He led her up the stone steps towards the large, double oak front doors.

As they approached, the doors were opened by two unseen operatives. They stepped into the darkened reception hall and Sally could feel Quatre's grip tighten on her arm.

"Why's it so dark in here?" she asked,.

Suddenly the lights came on.

"SURPRISE!" Called a unison of many grinning and laughing faces stood before them, followed by a sudden torrent of exploding party poppers and paper streamers raining down mainly on Sally, although Quatre got quite a few of them too.

"What the?!" Stuttered Sally in surprise, gripping Quatre's arm even more tightly as smiles and laughter filled the large echoey reception hall.

Before them, stood a small assembly of the people she considered to be her closest friends, allies and and comrades. There were the four other Gundam pilots, Duo, Heero, Trowa and of course Wufei. Also present was Noin, Catherine, and Hilde, who was hanging on to Duo's arm. Even Relena had managed to attend.

Noin was the first one to step forward and greet Sally. "Oh, Sally," She beamed radiantly, gripping her by the arms, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "You're looking wonderful," she said, "Happy Birthday!"

Sally eagerly greeted her back, smiling, "Noin, it's so great to see you again," she said, trying to engage in a brief conversation, "but how did you know it was my…" before she could finish her sentence, the rest of the group, all sporting smiling, excited faces stepped forward and began jostling for the opportunity to greet her.

"Happy Birthday Sally!" Called a number of voices from the group. "Yes, Happy birthday!"

After several minutes of exchanging hugs and kisses from just about everyone in the room, Sally stood back, beaming radiantly. She gave out a happy sigh.

"A surprise party? For me? Oh. You guys!" she was a little lost for words. "I didn't think you guys knew when my birthday was." she commented.

Quatre stepped beside her, placing his arm in hers once again. "Hey, you're not the only one with reliable intelligence sources around here you know," he grinned. The others laughed.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing with his free hand, then gently guiding her towards the closed double doors that led into the dining hall at the far side of the reception hall. Sally nodded, and walked with him.

As they walked forward, the small, smiling, gathering of friends stepped aside, forming an isle, and as Quatre and Sally walked down this isle of people, their friends all joined in behind them on their march towards the dining hall doors.

As they approached, the doors were opened and Sally's face quickly lit up at the scene beyond.

In the dimly lit room sat a large, long banqueting table, set ready for a feast. Lit candles sat eloquently in golden holders placed along its length. The warm light sparkled off the seemingly endless sea of highly polished cutlery and tableware that formed the place-settings for the whole group.

Quatre's butler stepped out from behind the door he had just opened, "Dinner is ready Master Quatre," he spoke loyally, and respectfully.

"Thank you James," he replied, "I think we're ready," he looked to Sally for conformation.

She nodded eagerly, "Starving!" She grinned.

A few minutes later the entire group were sat around the table, continuing to engage in light, enthusiastic conversation and laughter as a number of staff began to serve the first course. Sally was still a little dumbstruck by the whole thing. Being the guest of honour, she was, of course, at the head of the table. Sat next to her on one side was Quatre, and on the other, Noin. Next to Noin sat, Heero, Relena, Hilde, and Catherine. On the other side of the table, Trowa sat beside Quatre, followed by Wufei then Duo.

The house banqueting table was too large for the relatively small group to completely sit around without huge gaps between individuals, so Quatre had arranged for them to be gathered at one end of the table in a more informal, more intimate arrangement.

"I can't believe you all went to so much trouble for me," Sally commented to the group. Most of the Gundam pilots verbally leaped to her defence.

"Hey, Sal, we wanted to do this," said Duo.

"Yes, Sally, this was something we all wanted to do, you deserve it," added Wufei.

Quatre leaned in close to her, "We've all wanted to do this for a long time," he commented.

The main course was a delicious vegetarian dish with an amazing coriander and lemon sauce that everyone raved about. Quatre had employed his favourite chef to cook the meal.

The room remained fairly quiet as they ate, and when everyone had finished the main course, Duo and Trowa discretely nodded to Quatre, and got up from their chairs.

"Excuse us for a couple of minute's guys," said Trowa before they disappeared through the service door at the side of the room.

Moments later, the room lights suddenly dimmed, the main double doors opened and the two absent pilots appeared in the doorway holding a very large, iced cake, decorated with many lit candles.

They walked carefully into the room and placed it on the table in front of Sally as the whole group stood up and broke into a somewhat tuneless and rather giggly chorus of happy birthday.

Once finished, Sally blew the candles out with one blow, while the others applauded.

"Don't forget to make a wish!" called out Noin.

The lights went back up again, and many of the group got their first glimpse of the cake in the light.

There was an odd silence. Sally looked down at the cake. She wanted to express her surprise and gratitude but something was holding her back.

"Not the usual Winner household standard," came an involuntary voice inside her head as she examined the cake with odd curiosity.

It was a rather squat, oddly shaped specimen in serious need of a re-make. It was trying very hard to be square in shape, but was more, well, actually it didn't seem to be any particular shape at all.

The dark chocolate icing was trying to be smooth, but looked more like a 3D satellite image of a mountain range on which the small, round chocolate buttons were finding it extremely difficult to sit flat. The frilly decorative surround half-disappeared under a thick overlap of icing on one side, whilst several areas of its surface didn't have any icing at all.

Duo suddenly laughed out, breaking the silence as he took in the full extent of the poorest excuse for a cake he'd ever seen in his life.

"Its funny, it didn't seem to look that bad when we were making it," he mused.

"Yes, it did," replied Wufei dryly, in an attempt to disassociate himself with any part of its construction.

Sally suddenly realised what Duo had just said.

"You mean you guys actually _made_ this cake for me?" she asked sounding a little taken aback.

Quatre leaned in closer, "The guys made this today when we were out on our day trip."

"Slaved over a hot stove for hours!" remarked Duo humorously, "just the four of us and a cook book."

"Well, you know the old saying about too many cooks," commented Trowa, "sorry about the finish Sal, we'll try to get some more practice before your next birthday."

Sally gave a quiet, appreciative coo as suddenly the cake's appearance became irrelevant to her. She loved it. Suddenly it became the most beautiful cake she had ever seen.

"Oh guys! Don't worry about that, it's wonderful! It's so wonderful, you _actually_ went to all this trouble. Just for _me_?" she replied excitedly, "You actually baked me a cake! That's so sweet! Thank you all so much!" She got up from her chair and quickly went to each of the pilots, Duo, Heero Wufei and Trowa, giving each of them a brief, gentle hug as the others looked on with smiles.

When she sat back down, Quatre handed her a knife,

"Why don't you cut it," he suggested.

"Yes, Put it out of its misery," said Wufei in a serious tone, much to the amusement of the group.

A few minutes later everyone had a piece of the cake on a small plate on front of them. As soon as Sally started, the others followed suit, each taking a bite.

First impressions were favourable, until, very quickly, everyone started crunching on a rather gritty substance that seemed to dwell within the sponge. There were several hums and sounds of slight discomfort as everyone started picking hard bits from their mouths.

"Heero!" said Duo in urgent annoyance.

Heero looked up "What?" he asked innocently.

"When you were mixing the ingredients, and you got to the eggs, You _did_ shell them first _right_?" asked Duo in a vexed tone.

Heero thought back to earlier in the day when the four of them had been in the kitchen making the cake. He was adding the ingredients to a large mixing bowl while Duo was reading out instructions from the recipe book. Wufei and Trowa were bringing the ingredients to him from the fridge as Duo called for them.

There was a pause.

"You're not saying anything Heero!" commented Duo, almost knowing what was coming next.

Heero's face began to go red.

"You didn't say anything about shelling them," he replied defensively.

"AWW HEEROO!" came a cry in unison from the four other pilots as they put down their cake and pushed their plates away.

"What?!" replied Heero, "what did I do? Duo was the one reading the instructions out."

"Hey! Give me a break Heero, don't you go blaming me for this!" replied Duo defensively.

By now the rest of the group were trying hard not to laugh. They all glanced toward each other, desperately trying not to show their amusement, eager to listen-in on the developing dialogue between Heero and Duo.

"Hey, you just said add the eggs, you never said anything about shelling them." protested Heero, desperately trying to defend his position, "add five eggs, that's what you said, and that's _exactly_ what I did. If you've got to blame anyone, blame… blame that stupid cook book."

"Heero, anyone who's got half a brain would know you can't eat egg shells!" replied Duo.

"Well I didn't know okay, Mr bloody zen master of knowledge! I've never cooked before!" replied Heero firmly, now more embarrassed than anything else at his blatantly obvious and stupid mistake.

His last comments were more than the others could take. Starting with Noin, the whole group quickly burst into a wave of loud, hysterical laughter.

Heero folded his arms, pouting. His face by now was almost scarlet with embarrassment, but through the loudness of the laughter, Heero heard a single voice come from across the table.

"Hey, don't worry about it Heero, it was just an honest mistake."

He looked up to see Quatre smiling at him, and it was a simple reminder to him that he really was among true friends.

Still looking at Quatre, slowly, the sides of Heero's mouth began to turn upwards until eventually he joined in the laughter, laughing at himself for making such an error.

Wufei leaned in towards Heero, "Hey, you might be one hell of a pilot," he said, "but you sure make a lousy cook."

The meal continued into the evening, minus the cake.

Everyone chatted enthusiastically catching up on old times. For many of the group, the last time they had seen each other was in the tail end of the war, they were all keen to learn how everyone was getting on and coping with civilian life.

Coffee's had just been served when James the butler entered the room and approached Heero. He leaned in close to his ear and spoke quietly so not to be overheard.

"Master Yuy, your guest has arrived sir, he's waiting in the study as you requested."

Heero nodded and thanked him.

He stood up, "excuse me for a moment," he said leaving the table and walking towards the side door, "I'll just be a few minutes."

Quatre acknowledged him with a knowing nod as he left the room.

Heero eagerly made his way down the hallway to the study and quietly opened the door.

By the window, staring out into the darkness stood a boy of about twelve or thirteen years. He didn't seem to notice Heero enter the room. Heero paused, observing the boy for a moment.

The youngster was tidily dressed, wearing a plain grey short-sleeved shirt and khaki cargo-style trousers with dark soft leather shoes. Beside him on the floor stood a small, rather tatty old brown suitcase.

Heero closed the door and as it clicked shut the boy seemed to break from his solitary staring and quickly turned around.

"Heero!" he gasped, suddenly beaming a huge smile from his notably cute boyish face.

"Fumio!" smiled Heero, walking quickly towards him. He reached out and cupped a hand affectionately onto the boys' shoulder. "You're running late, I was getting a little worried."

"I'm sorry Heero; the lay people had prepared a meal to mark my going away. I couldn't insult them by leaving early," explained the rather small-framed boy, his voice apologetic.

Heero nodded, understanding his situation. "It's all right, I'm just glad you made it. I thought for a while that you might have changed your mind about coming here."

The crop haired youth glanced up at Heero cocking his head to one side in a serious, slightly confused look. "I made a promise to you Heero, I would never break my promise."

Heero nodded, sighing. "I know, I guess I was just concerned that you'd lost your nerve, that's all."

Fumio suddenly went quiet. He didn't respond verbally, just looked up at Heero, his big cobalt blue eyes began to glaze slightly.

"Hey, you're not still worried about this are you?"

Again, Fumio did not respond verbally, but an expression of worry began to appear on his face as he reluctantly nodded.

"Look," whispered Heero, gently gripping him by the shoulders, "I understand you're feeling out of your depth right now. Moving away from the security of the Monastery and everything familiar to you is a big step, but we both know that it had to be done, and we both know why." Heero spoke firmly, yet, with an unusually caring tone.

Fumio reluctantly nodded again, still looking sad.

"I'm gonna help get you through this, just like I promised I would, you know that, right?"

The boy nodded looking down worriedly at the floor.

"You just have to be strong for a little while longer, that's all, okay?"

"Okay Heero," came the subdued reply.

Heero gently cupped his hand onto the side of Fumio's face and directed the boy to look up at him.

"I promise you Fumio, I'm not going to leave your side until this problem is solved. We're in this together, and we'll see it through to the end together okay? ... okay?... Fumio?"

Fumio nodded again.

"You're my kid brother, and I'm gonna look out for you. I've got your back, so don't worry."

Heero's words were enough to ease Fumio away from his worries. He responded by slowly forming a slight smile, hiding away his unhappiness and worries for the time being.

"There, that's more like it," smiled Heero kindly.

For a long time Heero had wanted to tell the others about Fumio, his only family, but during the war, there were many complications and risks preventing him from doing so. Only now, nearly six months after the wars' end was he finally prepared to let go of his doubts and make it known.

He stepped back for a moment and looked Fumio over. It was the first time in years he had seen his brother wearing something other than a Buddhist monk's robes, and he was finding it a little strange to adjust to. He wanted to comment, but figured that perhaps now would not be a good time. It was obvious that Fumio was already missing the security of the monastery, his home for the past four years, so bringing it up in conversation would only keep reminding him of it and make him sad again.

"Are you ready to meet the others?" Heero asked.

Fumio smiled, and nodded slowly.

"You still nervous about it?"

Fumio nodded again, "A little," he grinned.

Heero smiled, "Well, you've no need to be," he suggested. "These are more than just friends, they're some of the kindest people you will ever meet. They're like a family to me. I promise you Fumio, they'll welcome you with open arms."

Fumio nodded, but didn't appear too convinced. He glanced up at Heero with a questioning look.

"Do they… Do they know about me?" he asked hesitantly, "I know you said you would tell them when the time was right."

Heero paused before answering as if he had been caught off-guard.

"Well, actually, Quatre is the only one who knows about you at the moment. I entrusted him to make certain security arrangements before you arrived. He's also the one I'm trusting to help us with what lies ahead. I decided tonight was the right time to tell the others, and I'm planning to tell them right now."

Fumio listened carefully, still not looking entirely comfortable.

"So, are you ready to meet them, or do you want more time to get your head in order?"

"No, lets do it now," replied Fumio, keen to get this particular exercise over with.

Heero nodded and gestured towards the door.

They left the room and wandered silently along the hallway, coming to a halt outside the dining hall door where the others could be heard chatting and laughing.

Fumio agreed to wait outside and out of sight until Heero had the chance to explain the situation to the others. He stood just around the corner from the door, listening and waiting for Heero's cue.

Before going in, Heero cupped a hand gently onto Fumio's shoulder again.

"Don't worry, you're going to be just fine," he whispered reassuringly.

Fumio smiled back nervously, then watched Heero open the door and enter the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

As Heero entered the room, the others glanced towards him.

"Hey Heero, we were getting ready to send out search parties," Duo grinned.

Heero smiled back, acknowledging the comments, then walked over and crouched himself down between Quatre and Sally's chairs.

"Everything okay Heero?" whispered Quatre, knowing exactly where he had just been.

"Yeah, all set."

Quatre gave a nod.

Heero turned to Sally. "Hey Sal," he said cheerfully, yet seriously, "I appreciate this is your birthday party, but would you mind if I addressed everyone about an unrelated matter?"

"Of course Heero, you don't need to ask, just go right ahead," she replied.

Heero smiled, and patted her on the arm as he stood up.

He grabbed a fork and an empty glass and began tapping on it loudly until the room fell silent. All eyes were looking his way. He cleared his throat.

"Um... Guys. I've got a bit of a confession to make, so I thought it would be appropriate to make it while everyone was together."

The others watched and listened quietly.

"It's difficult to know where to begin, so I guess I'd better just come out with it," he spoke hesitantly, "the fact is, I've been keeping something from all of you."

"You're really a woman trapped in a man's body?" bleated Duo without warning.

"Duo!" snapped Sally, "behave yourself!" she grinned.

The room suddenly roared with laughter again. Noin had just taken a mouthful of coffee and nearly spat it out across the table whilst Relena had to spit out the cookie she had just bitten into to avoid choking on it.

Heero tried to glare at Duo in protest, but found himself smiling too. "Come on Duo, this is important, I'm trying to be serious here!" he protested.

Duo smiled at him, putting his palms out in front of him in apologetic submission. "Okay, okay, Sorry Heero, It just kind-of slipped out. Couldn't resist."

Heero began tapping the glass again, until everyone settled down and the room fell silent once again. As he tried to start speaking again, a small involuntary grin forced its way onto his face again as he reminisced on Duo's comment. He cleared his throat again.

"Firstly, for the record, no, I'm not a woman trapped in a man's body, but thank you Duo for the slightly disturbing image I now have burned into my mind."

Everyone smiled and chortled quietly.

"Actually, this is a very important thing that I want to tell you, so I need to get serious for a moment."

The room quietened again.

"As I said, there is something I've been keeping from you. Not just you guys, but it's something I've kept from absolutely everyone. For the record, I haven't enjoyed keeping you guys in the dark, I haven't enjoyed it one bit, but the risk until now has just been too great to do otherwise."

As he spoke to the seated group, he began slowly moving around the room, periodically gripping the backs of people's chairs. Everyone in the room was listening carefully to his words with a degree of fascination. They were intrigued to know about his unknown secret that was obviously such a big deal to him.

"Now we are in peacetime, the past months have convinced me that another war is most unlikely, at least, not in our lifetimes, and it's only now, in these conditions that I am able and willing to tell you this."

He came to a halt at the back of Sally's chair and gently gripped the backrest.

"There is a significant element from my past that I was forced to keep secret for many years."

Heero looked serious, his voice began to sound sullen. He glanced sideways towards the open door and spotted Fumio hiding apprehensively in the corridor discreetly watching him, listening to his every word. As their eyes met, Heero's mind began to fill with many painful memories from both their pasts. He paused for a moment as he contemplated what he was about to announce, then gave a deep sigh.

"But that all changes right now," he said, his voice lowered to a whisper.

He offered Fumio a discreet, very slight smile as a gesture of reassurance before peeling his eyes back to the group. Taking a deep breath, he tried to pull himself out of the gloomy mood he was falling into. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I know most of you think that I was orphaned at a young age and have no other family," his voice perking up again, "but in truth, that's not entirely true."

Hero began to get hesitant as he grew nearer to the moment of truth.

"The truth is... I have a Brother."

His statement was met with soft, suppressed murmurs from around the room and a few quietened 'ohhh.'s from the ladies whilst the other pilots just looked a little dumbstruck.

Wufei was first to comment. "You have a brother Heero?" he spoke quietly, "Hey, that's great news."

"Yeah that's great Heero." chirped Noin excitedly.

"Hey Heero, that's good to hear," commented Duo, "but why wait until now to tell us? Why all the secrecy?"

Noin cleared her throat and shuffled forward in her chair,

"Actually Duo I think can answer that one for you," she spoke, looking to Heero for approval to answer his question. He nodded.

"Duo, we had so many enemies during the war, right now I could list several particularly nasty factions and individuals who wouldn't have hesitated in using this information to their advantage."

"Imagine if word got out that Heero had family," she continued, "they wouldn't have thought twice about using him to get to Heero and possibly the rest of us, Heero's brother would have become a lucrative target."

Sally joined in, backing Noin, "Yes, Heero would have had no choice but to keep quiet. It was the only thing he could have done to keep his brother safe."

"So come on Heero, tell us about him then," asked Sally enthusiastically. "What's his name, what's he like, and where's he been hiding all this time?"

Heero nodded, understanding the excited curiosity he was now being faced with.

"Well, his name is Fumio; he's twelve and he's spent the past four-or-so years living at the Sakuragoaka Monastery up in the foothills on the other side of town."

"You mean?" Spoke Wufei, suddenly sounding as enthusiastic as Sally, "You mean he's…"

"Yes Wufei, he's a Buddhist monk."

An odd silence filled the room for a moment.

"Wow, he lives in a monastery Heero?" asked Relena, "I wonder what that must be like for him. Does he like being a monk?"

"Oh he seems to love it there, but…" he paused, a slight grin appearing on his face as he knew he was about to surprise everyone for a second time, "why don't you ask him yourself?"

"You mean he's _here_?!" came a number of simultaneous, surprised voices.

Heero smiled broadly, and nodded. "He's just outside," he grinned, "he's been looking forward to meeting you guys for ages, but," he paused, donning a more serious look again, "but he's kinda nervous, so go easy on him _okay_?" he whispered.

Heero gestured with his arm towards the open door, "It's okay Fumio, you can come in," he called.

All eyes were focused on the doorway as the small anxious boy slowly and somewhat reluctantly peered around from behind the door frame.

On sight of him a number of the ladies, particularly Noin and Hilde, gave a quiet, whispered "Awww," whilst the guys just looked on, smiling.

"Hello Fumio," gestured Duo cheerfully, "It's okay, come in, we don't bite, honest."

Slowly, timidly, Fumio stepped into the room, his nervous smile trying hard to disguise the awkward anxiety he was feeling inside. Heero walked over to him and placed a reassuring arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Guys, I want you to Meet Fumio, my brother. Fumio, meet the guys," he gestured with his other hand.

Everyone donned their best friendly smiles as warm words of greeting were offered up to him.

"Hello, its nice to meet you," was the timid reply, a slight tremble apparent in his voice. The girls quietly started up another chorus of "Awww's," as Fumio sub-consciously found himself trying to hide behind his brother.

Seeing how daunted he appeared to be, Quatre stood up, "Tell you what guys, why don't we retire to somewhere a little less intimidating, say the lounge. We can kick back and chill-out there for the rest of the evening."

Everyone agreed and began getting up from their chairs. They continued chatting excitedly as they all meandered their way along the long hallway towards the lounge doors at the other end.

As they walked Noin grabbed Sally gently by the arm, pulling her face to Sally's ear,

"Oh my God Sal, that boy is so cute!" She squealed in an excited whisper.

Sally grinned back at her, "No Noin, you can't keep him," she joked.

Within minutes, everyone was sat or stood around in the lounge chatting in small groups. It was enough to break the ice, and Fumio spent the next half an hour or so being introduced to the group one by one.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Fumio San," said Quatre as they shook hands, "Heero told me all about you a couple of days ago."

"It's an honour to meet you too Mr Winner," replied Fumio politely in his quiet, unbroken voice, "my brother has told me many good things about you."

Quatre smiled, "really?" he said, looking up at Heero in surprise.

Heero suddenly looked uncomfortable and promptly disappeared to the other side of the room to talk with Trowa.

Fumio looked at Quatre again, "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here in your really lovely house, it is very generous of you."

Quatre smiled, "Fumio, I want you to understand something about where you are right now," he replied, "take a look around the room at the people here."

Fumio did as Quatre asked.

"During the war, we all became close comrades, and more importantly, we became a family. This place, the Winner household, has become our family home, and although our individual lives will often cause us to spend our time away from here, everyone knows there will always be a roof, and a welcome here for them whenever they need one, and for as long as they need one."

Fumio nodded, understanding.

"The same goes for you now Fumio, you are Heero's brother, and that makes you a part of this family. That means there is a home here for you too should you ever need one."

Fumio looked moved by the gesture.

"You have a kind heart Mr Winner," he suggested, "I wish I was able to repay your kindness somehow, but I am just a simple monk, I have little of value I can offer you other than my time, but I would, of course, be happy to help out and run chores."

Quatre smiled compassionately, he felt his heart warming at Fumio's gesture.

"There's no need to worry yourself about such things, payment is neither required nor expected, and please, Fumio, call me Cat, or Quatre, or I'll have to start calling you Master Yuy," he grinned.

"Okay… Mr Quatre."

Quatre's grin intensified, "No, just plain old Cat."

Heero continued to introduce Fumio to each of the other group members until he had met them all. The boy-monk had taken a particular shine to Noin, and had spent much of his time sat talking with her on one of the sofas. For another hour-or-so the conversation and laughter continued until Trowa began banging a knife on a wineglass loudly, calling the room to order.

As the room fell silent, the five Gundam pilots gathered themselves around Sally, who had been sat on the centre cushion of one of the three-seat sofas. Quatre sat on the sofa beside her to her left, Wufei to her right, Trowa, Heero and Duo all knelt or sat on the floor immediately in front of her.

"What's going on guys?" she asked, a little uneasy about the five boys' mysterious behaviour.

"We have one more little surprise for you Sally," said Quatre, as the other girls perched on the sofa opposite, and watched with interest.

Trowa spoke up, "The guys and I, given that it's your birthday and all, we just wanted to say 'thank you' for all the amazing things you have done for us since we have known you."

"Aww guys, you don't need to do this," Sally gently protested.

"We have all wanted to do this for a long time," commented Quatre.

"I'm not sure you realise just how much we owe you Sal," added Duo, "I think each of us can safely say that we owe you our lives, and in some cases, on several occasions."

"We've all agreed on this point," said Heero, "we don't think any of us would be alive today if it wasn't for the sacrifices that you made for us."

Sally was getting a little emotional, "Oh Guys, you're gonna start me off in a minute," she said grinning, wiping a small tear from her eye.

"We wanted to get you a gift, something special," spoke Wufei, "it was difficult to think of what to get you at first…"

"But then we came up with this," spoke Quatre, gesturing for Sally to look at Trowa who was kneeling in front of her. He produced from his pocket a small, royal blue, velvet textured box and held it out in front of him, smiling.

Sally saw the box, "Oh, guys!" she gasped nervously, still close to being overcome with emotion.

"Go on Sal, you can open it," said Wufei.

Sally gingerly took the small box from Trowa's hand and slowly opened it. As she saw the contents, her face lit up with surprise.

"Oh Guys it's beautiful!" she whispered in admiration of the small silvery pendant necklace sat in the box, "it's a St Christopher pendant."

"Actually, it's no ordinary pendant," remarked Quatre.

"It's made from Gundanium Alloy," added Duo.

"Gundanium alloy?!" Gasped Sally once more, "but that's impossible, isn't it?"

The five pilots grinned, "Tell us about it!" replied Duo Humorously, "we had to call in quite a few favours to get it made."

"It's not just any old Gundanium either," added Heero, "it's made up from a small piece taken from each of our original five Gundams," spoke Quatre, "it was meant to be kind-of symbolic."

"And we chose St Christopher because he is supposed to be the patron saint of travellers, and believed to protect those who travel," Wufei informed, "we want you to be safe wherever you go."

"It's also been blessed," added Heero, "by the monks at Fumio's monastery."

"Really?" asked Sally looking up at Fumio. The boy nodded, grinning.

"You've become something of a legend among the local Buddhist community," suggested Heero.

A small tear welled up in Sally's left eye and rolled down her cheek as her emotions started to get the better of her.

"Oh, this is too much," she sniffed, "guys, I don't know what to say, I'm so touched. This is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you so much, all of you. I love you guys so much!" She leaned forward trying to reach her arms around all of the pilots at the same time. The pilots all leaned in and joined her in the spontaneous group hug.

"I'll wear this forever, I promise, and every time I see it, I will think of you, _all_ of you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The informal gathering continued well into the evening, and around ten O'clock, Relena had to start her journey back to the Sanc Kingdom. Running a Nation was no easy feat, and with the end of the war, her life had become unbelievably busy. One evening was all the time she could humanly afford.

Catherine also had to return home to the circus where she would be performing the next night, so they decided they would make the initial part of their journey together.

Everyone gathered in the main entrance hall to see them off taking it in turns to say their goodbyes.

"Relena, I still can't believe you came all this way just to be here," said Sally as they hugged.

"Are you kidding Sally," replied Relena, "I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

"Thank you so much, it was so great to see you again, looking so well too. I do hope we can meet again soon," replied Sally gratefully.

"You know you're welcome in the Sanc kingdom at _any_ time," suggested Relena, "and anyway, I'm sure we'll meet again soon, I believe Noin has a birthday coming up," she winked.

Eventually they all made their way outside, down the floodlit stone steps to Quatre's awaiting Rolls Royce that was ready to take Catherine home, and Relena to the airport. As the car drove away, everyone waved and called until it disappeared into the darkness.

Slowly, everyone made their way back up the steps. The rest of the group would be staying at the mansion that night, and for the next week too. They had all made the effort to treat the get-together as a kind-of holiday, the first break many of them had had for years.

"Let's meet back in the lounge," suggested Quatre, "I've arranged for some hot milk toddies."

"Excellent!" filtered a number of voices back.

In the Hallway, Heero caught up with Fumio who was walking beside Noin and Trowa. He playfully put his arm around his brother's neck and grappled him into a gentle headlock, rubbing his knuckles on the top of his head. Fumio laughed out loudly.

"And you, you little monk," grinned Heero, "you're going to bed, have you seen what the time is?"

"Okay Heero," he replied in a muffled voice, still in the headlock.

"Have you seen your room yet Fumio?" asked Quatre, hearing Heero's comments.

Heero let go and the boy looked up at Quatre, still grinning. He shook his head negatively while pulling his ruffled shirt straight.

"I'll show you where it is," replied Quatre, making a detour towards the stairs. Fumio and Heero followed.

"Oh, are you off to bed now Fumio?" asked Noin sounding slightly disappointed.

He nodded.

The group stopped walking as words of 'goodnight' and 'sleep well' were called out. He stopped and turned back to the group smiling.

"Goodnight, it was very nice to meet you all," he said quietly, then began scanning his eyes around the group for Sally. On spotting her, he stepped back down the stairs and stood before her gently taking her by the hands.

"I really do hope you had a wonderful birthday Miss Sally," he said beaming a warm smile at her.

"That's very sweet of you Fumio, yes I've had such a fantastic day, thank you for asking," she replied, gently squeezing his hands, "and it was so wonderful to meet you too and I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

Fumio gave her his best smile and then gently broke away before climbing the stairs once more to where Quatre and Heero were waiting a few steps up.

The group waved and called goodnight again, then turned to continue their short walk towards the lounge where James the butler was preparing a creamy-white hot milk toddy, a drink legendarily famous at the Winner household.

"Fumio has the room next to yours, as you requested," Quatre informed Heero as they ambled along the first floor corridor of the East wing. Heero nodded in appreciation. Moments later they were stood outside a large white panelled door. Quatre opened it.

"Here you are Fumio, this is your room."

They entered and Heero turned on the lights. A simple, yet grand room lay before them with high ceilings and classic décor. The subtle smell of antique wood lingered in the air. There were three, tall, separate windows running along the front wall. A king-sized four-poster bed sat against the same wall between two of the windows, whilst antique oak furniture sat along several of the other walls. Fumio's face lit up with astonishment.

"This room is for _me_?" he gasped, looking back at Quatre, his big blue eyes agape in astonishment.

Quatre nodded. "It's not as modern as you might have liked," he commented, but you've got the best view in the whole house. When the sun comes up in the morning, you can see right across to the mountains, it's really quite spectacular."

Fumio continued to look at the room with his mouth open, almost in shock at the sheer size of it.

"You have an en-suite bathroom and shower in here," continued Quatre, walking over and opening a door to the left. "There are some towels and a new toothbrush in there for you, if you need it."

Fumio didn't seem to hear Quatre's words, he was still staring in disbelief at the room.

"Are you _sure_ this room is for me?" he gasped.

Quatre grinned. He pointed to the foot of the bed. Fumio's small tatty suitcase had been brought up into the room and was sat on the floor.

"That's you're suitcase isn't it?"

Fumio nodded.

"Then this must be your room, the house staff are never wrong."

Heero watched with amusement the bewildered look on his brothers' face.

"But… but… even the main parts of our monastery aren't as big as this!" he gasped.

Quatre smiled, "well, I'm sure you'll get used to it. This is one of my favourite rooms actually, it has a nice homely feel. If you need anything, please, don't be afraid to ask for it, okay? My home is your home."

"Thank you for everything Mr Quatre," said Fumio in a genuinely appreciative tone, bowing respectfully as Quatre was preparing to turn for the door.

"You are most welcome Fumio San," replied Quatre smiling warmly, returning the bow. Then he paused for a moment, thinking about his next words.

He looked the boy in the eye, "I really do hope you can find the answers you're looking for," he said compassionately, "I want you to know that I am prepared to do anything within my power and ability to help you, should you need my help."

Quatre patted Heero on the shoulder as he turned to leave, "I'll leave you to settle him in."

Heero nodded, "Thanks again for this Cat, I mean it. I owe you."

He was acknowledged with a single nod as Quatre left. Moments later the door closed with a quiet click.

"Quatre is a really good person isn't he" commented Fumio, "he has a really kind heart."

Heero nodded, "Yes, he does."

"Now I understand why you said that it hurt a lot, that time when he was injured and you came to the monastery to pray."

Heero thought back to that rather stressful time some six months previous when Quatre was in a coma and at deaths door, after his Gundam, Sandrock, had crashed during one of the final battles of the war. He had secretly gone to the monastery because he had suddenly felt so helpless. He remembered actually wanting to pray, something he had never done before in his life, and something he had never believed in doing. He remembered, deep down, wanting Quatre to live so badly that he would have done absolutely anything, and praying was all he was able to think of at the time.

Heero just nodded, he had no answer to give.

Fumio looked him in the eye. "All of your friends here are such good people," he murmured, then paused, staring at his brother for a long moment.

As they remained in eye contact, Heero noticed Fumio's face quickly change to a sorrowful expression.

"Such good, _good_ people!" he whispered in a desperately solemn, wavering gasp, as tears quickly began to well-up in his eyes.

Before Heero could say anything, Fumio had hurried over to the bed and sat down, slouching forward and burying his face into his hands.

"Whoa! Fumio?" said Heero in a surprised tone, hurrying after him, "what's all this about?"

Fumio just began sobbing quietly into his hands. Heero sat down beside him, uncertain of what to do or say.

"Hey, Fumio? What's the matter? What's brought this on?" he urged.

Fumio glanced up at him and Heero could see the tears running down his face.

"I felt their pain Heero!" he whimpered, "they all carry so much pain!" He buried his face back into his hands again and sobbed some more.

Heero looked confused. "Fumio, what are you talking about?" he asked.

The boy took a deep breath trying to ease back on the tears so he could explain.

"They all act so calmly and happily, but I feel it Heero, and I see it. I see the desperate sadness they all carry around with them," he sniffled, "it's so intense, so painful for them to bear. It's eating away at them all the time."

"Who are you talking about?" urged Heero.

"Quatre," Sniffed Fumio, now becoming a little calmer, "Wufei, Noin, Trowa, everyone. Even Duo-san! I know he likes to be cheerful and make jokes and laugh all the time, but I see how much he's really hurting inside. They all carry the war in their minds. It's in their waking moments and it's in their dreams at night," he gave a long sniff, as his tears started to intensify again and he found it harder to talk again,

"Some of them," his pitch raised to a squeal, "they cry themselves to sleep at night!" He buried his face back into his hands as the sobbing returned.

Heero now realised what Fumio was referring to. It was something he could relate to himself; Those inescapable feelings of darkness and guilt, the torturous memories of death and destruction, and the fathomless regrets of one's actions during a time of great madness. It was something he too had had to live with since the war ended. For the most part, he was able to deal with it, but there were times when those feelings had left him feeling extremely down and depressed. He had wondered for some time whether the others had suffered with similar thoughts and feelings, but because he knew it was so painful to talk about, he had never asked.

Heero placed a reassuring hand onto the back of Fumio's neck, "Oh Fumio," he sighed compassionately, "what am I going to do with you?" he said, rubbing his back as he allowed the sobbing boy some time to calm down.

Eventually Fumio stopped crying.

"Feel better now?" asked Heero. Fumio nodded wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

Heero sighed again, "Fumio, you little fool! you know you're not supposed to be using your gifts when you're outside the Monastery, you know how quickly and easily they can overwhelm you."

Fumio suddenly looked a little sheepish, "I know," he replied, giving another sniff, "I do try, but sometimes it's harder _not_ to use them."

"You have to try harder Fumio," replied Heero in gentle protest, "Lama Banai specifically told you not to use your special gifts while you were away from the monastery, what would he say if he found out you'd been using them, hmm?"

Fumio looked sullen again, "I know, and I'm sorry Heero, but it's just so hard sometimes, especially when I'm being shown something as severe as other peoples pain and suffering, The visions just come to me, it's almost impossible to shut them out."

Heero nodded, sympathetic with Fumio's situation. "Look, Fumio, since the war ended, I'd imagine everyone has endured the pain you describe to some degree or another. It's not just with the guys downstairs or with me, I'd imagine it's with just about everyone who ever fought in the war. It doesn't matter what side they fought on, everyone fights in the belief that they are doing what's right."

Fumio nodded and gave another sniff, understanding Heero's words.

"Don't think that I don't understand Fumio. I realize that, right now, all your instincts are telling you to try to help everyone by using your special gifts to help take away their pain, but you just aren't ready to do that yet. One day, maybe soon, you will be, but not right now, not at this time. You're just not ready. You already know that your powers are not developed fully yet and it can still be dangerous for you, and for others if you use them."

"I do get it though Fumio. I really do appreciate that the temptation to use them can be overwhelming at times, but for now, you really must try to be strong and resist the temptation to use them, okay?"

As Heero spoke, Fumio pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose, then proceeded to wipe his eyes dry. He'd stopped crying and was sat quietly listening to Heero's wise words of reassurance.

He nodded, "I'll try harder Heero," he replied in a whispered voice.

Heero put his arm around Fumio's shoulders. "You are destined for so many great things brother, and I really am so very proud of you. Once your special gifts have fully developed and you have _truly_ mastered them, you will be able to do so many good things for this world, and it will become a much better place because of them. It won't be long Fumio, and you will be in a position to help take away not only our pain, but the pain of everyone who ever fought in the war, and many others besides. But that's in the future. Right now, the only thing you should be concentrating on is our current mission. These damn reactionary survival instincts of yours are getting worse, and our priority is to get them sorted out before they start getting you into serious trouble."

The young monk nodded, reluctantly agreeing with him. He took a moment to ponder Heero's words and the future he had described.

"Do you really think that Mr Quatre can help us?" he asked, looking to his brother, "can he really make my problem, go away?"

Heero looked him in the eye. "I won't lie to you, the truth is, I don't know for certain. Quatre has knowledge and skills that may help, but more importantly, he has more contacts than you could imagine. I know he will help us find someone who really can help. I also know he won't give up until we find a solution. Asking Quatre for help is the first logical step."

Fumio nodded, agreeing to Heero's words.

"I just want you to take some time to relax and get settled in," continued Heero, "I'll approach Quatre in a day or two and bring him up to speed on the whole situation, then we'll figure things out from there okay?"

Fumio nodded in agreement and then looked down at the floor, pondering a thought for a moment.

"Heero?" he asked looking up again.

"Yeah?"

"Do they know... you know, about my gifts?" he asked with nervous uncertainty.

Heero removed his arm from around Fumio's shoulders and sat more upright, interlacing his fingers together.

"No," was the serious, monotone reply, "and they mustn't know either. We already discussed this, Fumio, long before you came here."

"I know," Fumio sighed, his shoulders drooping, "but it just feels like I am lying and deceiving everyone. I don't like lying Heero, I hate it, it makes me feel so awful."

Heero looked up at the ceiling and sighed again, "How many times must we have this conversation Fumio?" he asked, his tone sounding a little tired. "You know that there are people out there who are not ready to accept what you represent."

Heero turned sideways to face more towards Fumio and gripped the boy by the shoulders, looking him in the eyes as if about to start pleading with him.

"If they find you, before you are ready to face them, well… that would not be a good thing, not good at all!" He squeezed Fumio's shoulders as he spoke, "This is why it's _imperative_ that no one outside the monastery knows about your gifts, okay?"

Fumio nodded, fully understanding his brother's concerns.

"Also, you're not lying to the others," continued Heero, "you're simply not telling them everything about yourself, and that's perfectly acceptable. I guess everyone has some things that they don't want other people to know about them, this is just _your_ thing. It's not telling lies, it's just avoiding disclosure of selective facts and there's nothing wrong with that, so stop beating yourself up about it, okay?"

Fumio nodded again looking a little happier about the whole situation.

"All right Heero, I understand and I promise to try to do better," he replied quietly, "I'm sorry I can be such a pain sometimes."

Heero looked warmly at him and sighed, "Fumio, you're not a pain!" he stressed, "I just want you to stay safe, that's all."

They sat quietly for a moment before Fumio got up and fetched his small tatty suitcase. He lifted it up onto the bed, opened it and pulled out a pair of white pyjamas that were neatly folded on top of some other clothes.

"Heero, I'd still like to help the others if I can, even without my gifts," said Fumio, sitting back down again. "I think I know a way I can help Wufei San at least."

"What do you have in mind?" Asked Heero.

"Well, he lives according to Samurai philosophies," explained Fumio, "Samurai is a deeply spiritual culture, but, with all the turmoil he feels inside, it has left him, well, just so empty of spirit, and it bothers him deeply."

"Not sure I know much about that stuff, what can you do?" asked Heero.

"He knows I am a fighting monk. When we spoke earlier today, it felt as if he was reaching out for some kind of Spiritual connection. I think I know of a way I could help him, I mean I'd really like to try if I can."

Heero listened carefully.

"Heero, when you see him alone next, please tell him that, if he wants to, I would be happy to spend some time with him, perhaps we could do a meditation or two together. If he's interested, I would also consider the Samurai meditation ritual."

Heero raised an eyebrow, then slowly, almost reluctantly, nodded, "Okay, I'll tell him if I get the chance, but I'm not sure what he'll say."

"I'm _hoping_ his reaction will be positive," suggested Fumio.

Heero looked at his brother silently, mulling something over in his mind.

Fumio looked back at him and asked what he was thinking about.

"I'm glad you feel you want to help," replied Heero, "you're a good kid Fumio."

"I just don't like to see suffering, that's all," he replied.

"Well, I think it's time you got some sleep, or I'll be suffering tomorrow. I know how cranky you can get when you're tired," suggested Heero grinning. Fumio grinned back agreeing with him.

"I'm right next door in that room tonight," Heero pointed towards the wall. "If you need anything, that's where you'll find me okay?" Fumio nodded.

"Good," replied Heero, "now get some sleep," he stood up and began heading for the door.

Suddenly, he stopped again, "Oh, I almost forgot," he said reaching a hand into his pocket, and turning back towards his brother. "Fujita-san asked me to give you this." He pulled from his pocket a small, plain-looking watch and handed it to Fumio.

"He made it especially for you," remarked Heero.

Fumio examined it curiously. It was a simple, small, gold coloured watch with a medium width black leather strap.

"He made this for _me_? that's so thoughtful, but I don't understand, why would Fujita-san want to go to the trouble of making me a watch?"

"Because everyone is concerned about you being away from the safety of the monastery," replied Heero cryptically.

Fumio cocked his head to one side, "I don't understand."

Heero grinned. He reached his hand out, "Here, let me show you."

Fumio handed him back the watch. Heero took it and pressed the winder. The whole front face flipped open to reveal a tiny, single red button beneath.

"It's a location beacon," replied Heero, "if ever you fall into danger, or get into a bad situation, just press this button."

Fumio looked a little taken aback, "That's such a kind gesture," he whispered.

"Actually, it was Lama Banai who asked Fujita-san to construct it for you, he was very anxious about you leaving," commented Heero, "now, just be careful with it," he suggested in a cautionary tone, whilst snapping it shut, "when it's activated, a truckload of protection fighting monks will arrive at your location in minutes. You should only ever use it in a _real_ emergency."

Fumio nodded, heeding the warning.

Heero gestured for Fumio to raise his arm and proceeded to strap it onto his wrist. "I want you to wear it all the time from now on, even when you're sleeping, okay?"

Fumio nodded.

Now on his wrist, Fumio continued to examine the innocent looking device. He looked at the clock on the wall, "It tells the right time too," he beamed.

"Right then, off to bed now," said Heero.

"Okay Heero."

Heero turned for the door, but paused for a moment. "You gonna be all right now?" he asked in a momentary concerned tone, "no more tears?"

Fumio nodded. "I'll be okay now," he replied, "thank you Brother."

Heero nodded then turned for the door for a second time, "Good night Fumio."

"Heero?" Fumio called out as he walked away.

Heero stopped and looked back.

"Do you think it would be okay if… if Miss Noin came up and," he shifted uncomfortably, pressing the toe of his right shoe against the floor, "and tucked me in?" he asked coyly, slightly embarrassed.

Heero grinned, "You really like her don't you?"

Fumio nodded reluctantly.

Heero continued towards the door, still grinning,

"I'll see what I can do. Good night Fumio."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

By the time Heero had arrived downstairs, the others had gathered in the lounge. He opened the door and on entering the room was immediately handed a warm milk toddy by James the Butler who was just preparing to exit the room pushing a large serving trolley. Heero thanked him with a nod, then went on into the room to join the others who were sat around in one large group chatting.

Noin was the first one to speak, "Just three words Heero," she said cryptically.

Heero looked at her oddly.

"He. Is. Adorable!" she beamed.

"Yes, apparently Heero, your score on the girls 'cuteometer' is nowhere near as high as his." remarked Trowa.

"None of our scores are!" added Duo, pretending to appear sad, "it's, it's just so damn depressing!" he sobbed into his hands for a second, and then looked up grinning.

"You guys are so incurable," sighed Heero in a tone of disbelief. He sat down, nestling on one on the sofas in the space between Hilde and Sally.

Heero put his drink down on the small coffee table in front of them.

"Oh, by the way Noin," he said, "I think you may have an admirer."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Fumio has asked if you wouldn't mind 'tucking him in'?"

A beaming smile appeared on Noin's face. "Oh, that's just so sweeeeet!" She squealed, looking at sally and Hilde who were grinning. The girls all leaned in towards each other, simultaneously chanting "Awww!"

They all giggled impishly as Noin bounced to her feet like a puppy and headed for the door.

Heero frowned and leaned back in the seat folding his arms. He looked up at the ceiling, tutting, shaking his head from side to side. "I've never been able to understand all that giggly girly stuff," he grumbled.

Wufei looked at him with a straight face and nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.

"Come on Heero," said Sally, slipping her arm under his and pulling closer, "you've got to admit, your little brother really is quite adorable."

"Yeah, so how come you're nothing like him Heero?" poked Duo in a wisecrack.

"Oh, _very_ funny Duo," replied Heero ironically, instantly picking up on Duo's insult.

"Actually Heero," piped up Hilde, "putting the cuteness jokes aside for the moment, you two actually don't look anything like each other. Brothers usually have at least a few similar features like their hair colour or the shape of their face, or the colour of their eyes or something."

Heero paused for a moment, then picked up his mug of milk and sipped from it.

"Well... I guess that's because we don't have the same parents," he replied hesitantly.

"But I thought you said you two are brothers?" said Duo.

"We are, well, stepbrothers I guess would be a more technical term, but it doesn't matter. As far as we're both concerned, it's irrelevant that we're not related by blood."

"So you had the same step-parents?" asked Wufei.

Heero sat back in the seat with a slightly pondering expression, "Parents... hmm," Heero mumbled cryptically.

The others watched him with interest, keen to know exactly what he meant by that.

After some more mulling over in his mind, he eventually answered.

"It's kind-of... _complicated_."

The others continued to look at him in anticipation of an explanation.

"What?!"

The others just looked at him, still expecting an answer.

"You want me to tell you?!" he asked in a raised tone.

Several heads nodded eagerly.

"I think tonight this is the first time you've ever really mentioned anything about your past to us Heero," suggested Quatre, "I think it's something we have all wondered about."

Heero gave another "Hmm" as he mulled over in his mind exactly how much information he was prepared to reveal.

"Well..." he sipped some more milk, "we were both orphaned and adopted at a very young age by the same people."

"So you had the same adoptive parents, right?" asked Wufei for a second time.

"To be honest, you couldn't really call, 'it', a parent," replied Heero.

"It?" came several surprised and slightly confused voices.

Heero shifted uncomfortably in his seat, crossing his legs, "Okay... okay." he said, putting his hand out, finally submitting to the others' need to know more about his past. He put his drink down again.

"Fumio and I were adopted by a Colony-based military organisation run by Dr J, whom I'm sure you have all heard about at some point during the past year."

There was a general nodding of heads

"We didn't have parents as such, only employed carers," Said Heero, "we referred to it as the ~Foundation~"

"I don't understand Heero," said Hilde, "why would a military organisation want to adopt young children?"

Duo and Wufei looked at each other, already knowing the answer to this one.

"Putting it simply Hilde, Operation Meteor," replied Heero.

There were quiet gasps from among the group.

"My God. Heero!" spoke Sally in shock, "you mean you were trained as a Gundam pilot from..."

"From the moment I could utter my first words, yes Sal."

The gasps and looks of astonishment continued to be etched on the others' faces, particularly the girls.

"And so was Fumio." Added Heero.

The room instantly fell silent.

"Fumio?" gasped Hilde, along with a number of other, equally surprised voices, "I don't understand, how does he fit into this?"

Heero sighed heavily before leaning forward in his seat to explain.

"Fumio is also a fully trained Gundam pilot. He was going to be my backup."

"WHAT!?" came a number of shocked voices.

"His designation was Gundam pilot 'Alpha-one'. If I was captured or killed at any point during the missions, he would be secretly deployed to carry on from wherever I left off."

The silence returned for a moment as confused, somewhat disbelieving eyes observed him.

"But he's so young!" protested Hilde and Quatre simultaneously.

Heero nodded, "That's because they had originally chosen a different kid the same age as me to train. But a couple of years into the program, when I was about three, there was a transport accident. He and some of his training team were killed."

"Oh, that's awful," gasped Sally.

Heero shook his head slightly, "I don't remember much about it, or about him. I didn't even know his name, only his designation, however, I do remember that they were frantic to find a replacement. They screened hundreds, maybe thousands of kids, some, like Fumio, were just babies. Apparently they were looking for certain, very specific, brainwave responses. Even now I still don't understand how it worked. All I know is, Fumio's score was off the scale, it was much higher than they had ever hoped to find, so, despite his age, they still chose him."

Wufei spoke up, "But Heero, you said he's been a monk, living in a monastery for over three years?"

Heero nodded.

"But Operation Meteor only started about a year and a half ago," added Wufei, "I may not be the swiftest guy at calculating figures, but am I the only one who has a problem with my maths here?"

Heero did not reply straight away, allowing the others time to work it out for themselves, in the belief it would make his job of explaining a little easier.

"Something must have happened," suggested Trowa looking to Heero for conformation.

"I told you, it was complicated," replied Heero.

"That's it isn't it?" asked Trowa again, putting on his best 'detective' mask, "obviously things didn't go as planned or your brother probably wouldn't have become a monk."

Heero reluctantly nodded, then sighed, "Guys, come on, it's a long story, and this is hardly the time to talk about it, this is supposed to be Sally's party," he suggested, attempting to change the subject.

"Are you kidding Heero!" replied Sally instantly, "you've got us hanging on to your every word here. Don't you worry about me, you have our complete and undivided attention, right guys?"

"Yes, Heero, come-on, please, tell us. Don't keep us guessing," urged Hilde.

"C'mon Heero, us guys are fascinated too, we really want to know about this," insisted Duo. The other pilots nodded in agreement.

Heero sighed again, "Okay... okay," he said raising his hands in submission again. He sat further forward, paused, and took a breath.

"Yes, you're right Trowa, things did not go as planned, in fact, well, things actually got quite bad... very bad in the end," he replied, mulling the past over in his mind.

The others listened closely.

"It sounds like it was hell," commented Hilde.

Heero looked at her, "Actually, it was quite the contrary to begin with. Things were going very well at the start, during the early years. We both enjoyed the lives we had; Each day became a new challenge, a new adventure. Every morning we would wake up to conquer another milestone, to get over another bridge, to acquire another new skill. We probably had richer and fuller lives at that time than any other kids anywhere. Period."

"So what went wrong?" asked Wufei.

Heero took another sip from his mug of milk. "As time to the Operation Meteor deadline grew shorter, the intensity of the training began to increase. What started off almost like games in the early years slowly became more and more serious as time progressed. In the final three years before Operation Meteor began, we were pushed to the very limits," Heero paused for a moment, he became hesitant to say the next words, "limits which... which Fumio found, were set too far out of reach."

The room remained quiet apart from Heero's voice. The others listened absorbed by his recollections.

"I'm sorry Heero, but it really does sound like it was a living hell," observed Hilde, reiterating her previous comments.

"To be honest, up until that time, we were still enjoying it. We were both enthusiastic, eager to meet and beat the challenges we were faced with, and we were damn good at it too. The program meant the world to us, succeeding in our test missions became everything. If we succeeded, we were happy, but if we failed, well, that's when it became a living hell," he replied, now staring down into his half-empty mug of milk.

"What would happen if you failed your test missions Heero?" asked Quatre, almost afraid to ask.

Heero looked up at him, and exhaled almost in a laugh, yet, he looked serious, even a little sad.

"Well, let's just say, we seriously sharpened our combat skills on those days."

The room had become exceptionally silent. Everyone almost daring not breathe in case they missed something, they were mesmerized, yet, quietly shocked by the unfolding story.

Heero could see seven, slightly concerned pairs of eyes staring at him, everyone leaning forward in their chairs, eagerly anticipating his next words.

He continued in a quietened, now gloomy voice.

"When a mission failed, we knew we were in trouble. At the time, nothing would be said, and things like the mission debriefing would continue as normal, as if nothing was wrong. But it didn't take long for us to work out how it all really worked."

Heero began to look a little nervous and began to roll his mug between his palms whilst staring down at the floor, contemplating having to describe the painful memories he was about to recall.

"We called them the _foundation assassins_ , don't ask me why. It's just a name that was said one day, and it stuck. They came mostly at night and times when we would least be expecting them." He spoke with fear in his voice.

"We wouldn't sleep much on those nights. We were told that their purpose was to teach us to never let our guard down, and to always be prepared for attack. I guess they were just trying to toughen us up."

"Who were they, these assassins, Heero?" asked Trowa quietly.

"We never got to see their faces, they all wore balaclavas. Sometimes there were many, I guess maybe up to fifteen or more, other times there were just a small handful of them."

Heero took another sip from his mug, then carried on rolling it nervously between his palms, his voice sounding more and more nervous as he continued.

"At first, they would catch us off guard, literally dragging us from our beds, but we quickly learned to be ready for them and start to fight and attack as soon as we heard them enter the building. Other times, we would just try to hide."

A look of varying degrees of abhorrence appeared on most of the group's faces as he spoke. Hilde looked like she was going to cry.

"They were often relentless," he continued, "it all depended on the severity of our failure of the mission that day. Sometimes we would get away without a scratch, sending them into retreat easily, but other times..." Heero swallowed nervously as the memories came flooding back to him in full, terrifying detail, "other times, well... we got our butts kicked, that's for sure."

Only a couple of people had noticed Noin enter the room a few minutes earlier. She had quietly perched herself on a free chair near to the others. She too looked appalled at what Heero was describing.

"How old were you two when this started happening Heero?" she asked.

Heero counted, tapping his fingers against his mug, "I was around age eleven or twelve at the time, I guess Fumio would have been about nine."

His words were met with more shocked gasps.

Duo looked sternly at Heero, "That's dreadful Heero! absolutely appalling!" he growled in a suppressed anger through grit teeth, "my training was nothing like that! _nothing_ like that!"

Wufei also looked deeply troubled, "Yes Heero, I am also finding this very disturbing."

" _Disturbing!_ " growled Duo, thumping his fist into his other hand, "hearing this makes me want to go and beat the crap out of someone, like those bastards back at this, what did you call it? Foundation? that Dr J's got some serious answering to do!"

"Hey! just relax Duo," urged Trowa and Sally.

Wufei reached his hand over and placed it onto Duo's shoulder, "Calm it down Duo, we must let Heero continue this," he urged.

Duo took a deep breath, sighed, then nodded slowly, "I'm sorry guys," he said, briefly putting his hands up in a submissive posture, "I'm cool... I'm cool," he assured.

"So was this the turning point for Fumio?" asked Quatre, "what happened to the two of you?"

"Well, nothing happened straight away," Heero continued, "when the assassins came onto the scene, we both had an attitude change to the program that's for sure. We remained enthusiastic for the missions to succeed, and over time, our enthusiasm to succeed became stronger, but that strength came from all the wrong places and for all the wrong reasons."

"You mean you were afraid?" asked Quatre.

Heero began nodding his head, "Yes Cat, it was fear," he confirmed, his voice reduced to a sullen whisper, "we would have done anything. and I mean _anything_ , not to fail, not to be forced to face them again, but it just wasn't that easy."

The room remained totally silent as Heero continued with his story. Hilde dabbed a tissue against her face as a single tear ran down her cheek. Duo immediately shuffled across and sat beside her, placing a reassuring arm around her back.

On seeing her upset Heero stopped, suddenly realising just how intense a situation he was creating.

"Oh! sorry Hilde," he said sounding a little surprised, "guys, I should stop, this is getting heavy. I didn't mean to upset anyone."

Simultaneously, just about every voice in the room, including Hilde's rose up in protest. "No! don't stop there!" they said urgently, "you can't stop there, you _have_ to go on!"

All eyes in the room were on Heero again. Everyone was desperate to know what happened.

Heero put his hands up in a submissive gesture again, "Okay," he replied, "I'll go on."

He sat back in his seat and continued with his recollections.

"Well, as I said, we would have done anything not to be forced to face the assassins again. It wouldn't have been so bad if we knew what to expect, but each time they seemed to be pre-assigned to utilize different levels of strength and intensity. Sometimes we could seriously kick their butts, a single blow would seem to knock them down or send them running, all of them. Yet, other times, we would use the deadliest blows and moves we could, and they just took it and then countered with terrifying strength. It felt like they were messing with our minds, and I'm sure that's what caused a lot of the psychological damage in Fumio."

"How long did this go on for Heero?" asked Trowa.

"After about three months of this, things started to take a turn for the worst for Fumio. In that time he had gone from being totally enthusiastic and loyal, living only for the excitement of the mission, to a life of total misery."

Heero looked regretful as he spoke. "I guess I was the lucky one, I had a three year age advantage and was able to handle it better, to face the challenges with continued drive. It was my determination to stay with that positive attitude which eventually got me through the rest of the training. Fumio tried doing it the same way."

He stopped suddenly, looking down sorrowfully at his mug, rolling it faster between his palms in nervousness.

"My God... he tried so hard," his voice suddenly reduced to a whisper, cracking slightly, "the kid did nothing _but_ try."

Heero could feel a lump forming in his throat as he suddenly felt a pair of hands press onto his, stopping him from rocking his mug between his palms, the hands were Sally's. He didn't realise but he was almost spilling the mug's contents. Sally gently peeled it from his grip and placed it on the table, then she took a hold of his nearest hand, gripping it firmly.

Heero quietly welcomed her reassurances; he was starting to get uncomfortable from revealing so much about his past.

"So what happened?" asked Noin.

"I actually thought he was going to make it," continued Heero, "he seemed so determined, soldiering on, really getting on with it, trying hard to stay enthusiastic, despite what was happening to us. That is, until one day, he just stopped."

Heero's voice became gloomy and whispered once again. "It was like something inside him just snapped. He simply wouldn't, couldn't, fight any more."

He sighed heavily. "The mission that day was a disaster. His heart just wasn't in it. That night, as always, the assassins came, but Fumio refused to engage them, he wouldn't fight back."

The other pilots sat listening carefully; most were feeling emotions of anger mixed with sadness inside. Wufei leaned further forward in his chair,

"What did they do Heero?" he asked, his voice sullen and quiet, "were they honourable enough to call off the attack when they realised he was not fighting back?"

"You would think so wouldn't you?" Replied Heero, starting to tighten his grip on Sally's hand as he felt the lump returning to his throat, "but there was nothing honourable about these, _animals_. The reality is, they were angered by his refusal to fight," he swallowed nervously, "they beat Fumio to within an inch of his life."

Heero glanced up at the looks of shock and utter disbelief etched deeply onto the faces of everyone in the room. He could feel his heart quicken as the painful memories fed back through his mind with such realism, it almost felt like he was reliving the moment.

"I tried, God! how I tried to fight them off, to stop them," tears began to well up in his own eyes and he suddenly felt very self-conscious. Sally leaned in, pressing her free hand gently onto his shoulder,

"It's all right Heero," she whispered quietly, reassuring him, encouraging him to go on.

Heero paused and took another breath, swallowing nervously before continuing.

"I could see where it was going, I realised what was going to happen. I fought back, like I'd never fought before. I was trying to get to him, to reach him before it was too late, but..." Heero paused, his voice suddenly dropped to a trembling whisper, "I thought he was dead, he was just lying there. There was a lot of blood. I really thought they'd killed him," he gasped as a single tear ran down the side of his nose. Immediately he tried to wipe it away with his sleeve, sniffing quickly at the same time.

He looked up at the others, feeling slightly embarrassed, "My God, sorry guys," he said sniffing again. "I didn't realise how recalling this stuff would be so intense."

Several arms reached over to comfort him, together with words of reassurance from many in the room.

Heero quickly realised he was not the only one with tearful eyes. Hilde hadn't stopped shedding tears since she started earlier, Noin looked close to tears, but who shocked him the most was the person sat across to his right.

"Wufei?" he uttered in a quiet, surprised tone, "you okay?" Heero asked.

Two wet streaks sat on each side of the dragon warrior's face as tears fell silently from his eyes. Noin got up and walked over, sitting beside him. She put her arms around his shoulders, hugging him.

"You want to step outside Wufei? maybe get some air?" she asked.

Immediately Wufei sat up, trying to recompose himself, sniffing, shaking his head.

"No," he replied in a whisper, sniffing again. "It's very important for me to hear the rest of this," he insisted, urging Heero to continue with his recollections.

"Yeah, Heero," added Duo in a subdued voice, "please, you've gotta continue."

Heero reluctantly nodded, "Okay," he replied in a subdued whisper, his own voice sounding a little hoarse from his earlier tears. He cleared his throat, thinking back to where he had stopped.

"Well, as I said, Fumio had refused to fight back," Heero continued in a more subdued voice, "yet they still attacked him, they still beat him. God, it was so vicious. They seemed infuriated by his refusal to fight back, and they were relentless." His voice began to hesitate and waiver again as his eyes began to dampen for a second time.

"I tried everything I could to fight them off, to get them away from him, it got me a broken arm and two cracked ribs, but eventually they retreated."

Heero looked mournfully down at the floor, the next memory was probably one of the most painful he had ever had to live with. The anguished recollection of being sat on the floor of a darkened corridor, cradling what he believed was his dead brother in his arms, as he wept uncontrollably, wishing for his own life to end there and then.

It was just too distressing for him to share. The emotional pain was too great. Another tear rolled down his cheek as he quietly buried the memory, and continued on with the most compact version he could think of.

"I thought he was dead," Heero sniffed again, "but a recovery team arrived quickly that night and they were able to resuscitate him. He had slipped into a coma, and remained in it for a week, but his recovery was a fairly quick one after he woke up."

"This is the most repugnant thing I have ever heard!" snarled Duo. He was looking angry, as were many of the others in the room. "I can't believe they treated you like that. I can't believe they'd even treat their enemies like that, let alone their own people."

There was a general nodding of heads in agreement with Duo's thoughts.

"But Heero, surely you must have had someone to turn to about what was going on?" questioned Quatre, "surely you had a voice, a say in what happened? they must have know what this was doing to you both?"

"Oh, I asked, I pleaded, I even begged them to stop well before that night," replied Heero, "and several times I was assured that it wouldn't continue, that something would be done about it, but still it went on." Heero, sounded annoyed.

"What about after that night happened?" asked Duo.

"After that night, things did change," replied Heero, suddenly sounding a tad more enthused, "but by then, the damage had been done. Fumio had lost it. They'd pushed him too far." Heero looked sadly down at the floor again. "After he had physically recovered., he'd become totally unresponsive. He was unwilling to fight, or to take part in the program in any way. He would barely eat, he hardly spoke, except to me, and I know he cried himself to sleep most nights. He was broken and miserable."

Heero's voice grew gloomier again. "I saw an almost permanent look of fear in his eyes every day, and I saw that he'd become a nervous wreck. Every sudden noise, a door slamming, a dropped object, even a loud voice, and he would jump nervously. Sometimes he'd literally end up cowering in a corner somewhere. The final straw came when I realized he'd become suicidal."

"My God!" gasped Sally and Noin together, Noin now looking more angry than upset.

The others looked on with utter contempt for this, seemingly barbaric organization. The tears continued to run down Hilde's face as she quietly sobbed. Duo continued to cradle his arms around her offering comfort.

Heero hesitantly continued, "Fumio walked into my room late one evening, when we were expecting an assassin visit, and he placed his sharpened Samurai sword into my hands, his chosen primary weapon. He begged me to help him end his life there and then, to end his misery."

Several quiet sobs and gasps continued to be heard from around the room.

"I knew I had to do something there and then. I took Fumio's sword away from him and left him with one of the staff members I knew I could trust. Then I went straight to Dr J and told him outright that Operation Meteor would be scrapped that very evening, unless he immediately dropped Fumio from the program."

"Did it work?" came a number of enquiries.

Heero nodded his head, "I informed him that I would no longer co-operate with the program in any way, until Fumio was out and safe, whether they tried beating co-operation out of me or not. He knew I wasn't bluffing.

He gave me his word that Fumio would be dropped from that program and that he would be well cared for. The very next morning Fumio was shipped off to a secret location for re-integration training."

"Re-integration training?" questioned Duo, "what's that?"

"They told me it was a rehabilitation program, designed to enable him to re-integrate back into normal society and live a normal life. It was designed to help him 'switch off' the specialized soldier instincts that had been trained into him."

Heero sighed heavily, then looked up at the many eyes focused on him.

"That morning was the last time I saw him for almost three years, I heard nothing about him during all that time. I tried finding out, but information was hard to come by with everything gearing up for the mission.

The next time I saw my brother, Operation Meteor had already begun. I was on Earth, making repairs in the cockpit of my Gundam when I came a cross an encrypted recording that had been set for me to find at that time. It was a message from Dr J, telling me everything about Fumio since he left the base, and more importantly, he told me where I could find him."

"Did you go and find him?" asked Noin.

"Of course. I went straight away," replied Heero, "although I was a little apprehensive about what I might find.

"What do you mean?" asked Noin.

"Well, I saw the state he was in when he left, so I guess I was half expecting to find a zombie, just the shell of the brother I once knew, so you can imagine my surprise when Fumio came bouncing out of the monastery looking all full of life, and happy."

"It must have been a great reunion," suggested Hilde.

Heero nodded, "That was a good day," he replied, "one of the better days of my life, one I'll not soon forget." A smile finally appeared on his face as he recalled the memory.

"It looks like this tale does have a happy ending after all," suggested Trowa, "I'm so glad, but there is one thing I still don't understand. How come he ended up as a monk?"

"Apparently his father and great grandfather were both Buddhist monks, although actually, if the truth was known, technically he's not an official a monk yet."

"What do you mean?" asked Wufei.

"Because of his unique circumstances, he hasn't been officially ordained. He's been living there among them, learning the language and the rituals and studying to decide if that's where his true path lies. That's why he wasn't wearing his monks' robes today."

"That is quite an unusual arrangement," replied Wufei.

"The elder head monks are fully aware of his background, and of all the crazy messing that's gone on with his mind," added Heero, "so they have been very good in giving him his space and letting him work with his own rules. They are not pressuring him in either direction. They're leaving him to to work out his own decision regarding the future."

Heero thought to himself for a moment, "They really have been so good to him, helping him to deal with the anger and the frustration that he used to feel by teaching him to gain control over his mind through all that meditation stuff they do. It's been totally invaluable to him."

"I'm so glad that he has found some happiness at last, and that the monks are helping him," said Noin, still looking slightly upset, "I figured he would have some anger and resentment towards his tormentors, I'm really glad he's been able to deal with it in such a positive environment, with people willing to help him." Heero nodded in agreement.

"Indeed," he replied, nodding in agreement.

"What about you Heero?" asked Duo, "don't you feel angry about what happened?"

Heero thought to himself for a moment. "That's not an easy question to answer Duo, I guess you have to look at the bigger picture," he replied, mulling over several conflicting thoughts in his mind.

"On the one hand, yes, I sometimes feel unbelievable anger towards them, particularly for what they did to Fumio, and yes Duo, some days I really do think about tracking down every last one of those foundation assassins and paying them back. But, on the other hand, I have to remember that they also made me who I am."

"What do you mean Heero?" asked Noin, "you can't possibly be justifying or defending what they did, surely?"

"Without the specialised skills I learned from dealing with the assassins, I would have been dead a long time ago, and probably so would all of you. We all know just how close the White Fang came to completely destroying the Earth. If Operation Meteor had failed, because I did not have the necessary skills to help complete the job, we would not be sitting comfortably here right now, enjoying each others company, in peacetime.

For the record, many of the things I learned by dealing with the assassins came into play during the war, and saved my life more times than I want to remember."

The room fell silent again. Heero could see that everyone was thinking about what he had just said.

"It's easy to judge and be critical of what happened, but you have to remember we were preparing for war. Wars are never pleasant, and there will always be casualties. I guess you could regard Fumio as a casualty of war, but you must bear in mind that what happened to us, although seemingly hideous and unthinkable, probably, more than likely, saved millions, even billions of lives.

Now we are living in peacetime. Both Fumio and I are fortunate enough to have our lives ahead of us, and hopefully, we will go on to lead rich, full lives in the knowledge that the sacrifices we made, or rather, were asked of us, really did count for something in the end."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

A deathly silence hung in the room once Heero had finished talking as everyone began to slowly digest some of the terrible things they had just been told. Nobody was crying any more. The tears of earlier had either all turned to anger and resentment towards the foundation, or had just dried up into an unhappy numbness, but in all of the negative emotion, there seemed to be a sense of relief that things had eventually turned out right in the end.

Everyone also realized that Heero's last statement was correct, and that hideous though it may have seemed, his experiences really had, if a little indirectly, saved the fate of the Earth.

"Somebody please say something," suggested Heero after the quiet had carried on past a full minute, "this silence is a little unnerving."

"I just think we're all a little in shock Heero," suggested Quatre, breaking the silence. "I'm sure everyone here has wondered at some point about what your past was really like, I just don't think anyone was expecting it to be quite so... tragic."

Hilde spoke up quietly, "I've got this image burned into my mind, of that permanent, terrified look on Fumio's face. I can't shake it off."

Noin sighed heavily, "That poor kid," she uttered quietly as she exhaled.

"And poor you too Heero," said Sally softly, reaching up and rubbing her hand sympathetically on his shoulder.

"Don't you go worrying about me," said Heero softly, "I came through all of this just fine, I have no real regrets any more."

"What about your brother Heero?" asked Trowa, "Should we be worrying about him?"

Suddenly Heero felt awkward. It was the one question he was hoping wouldn't get asked. The answer to Trowa's question was yes, but he was not ready to make that information openly known. Heero had a plan in place to address the problem with minimum fuss, and in his mind, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.

Quatre was quick to pick up on Heero's sudden trepidation at Trowa's question. He could see he was feeling a little trapped by it.

He had suspected that there was more going on than Heero had originally told him about the 'personal issues' Fumio needed to address, but he was careful not push for answers. Quatre knew the only way Heero would accept his, or anyone else's help, would be if Heero _actually_ asked for it.

Quatre cleared his throat, he knew he needed to steer the conversation away from Trowa's question before Heero became defensive.

"Guys, I think we should be consciously aware of how we react to Fumio when we see him tomorrow," he suggested openly to the group, redirecting the subject.

Heero looked at Quatre, instantly realising what his Arabian friend was doing. He was grateful.

Sally added her voice to Quatres statement, oblivious to what Quatre had just done.

"I agree," she said, "guys, it won't be a good thing if we go making a big fuss over Fumio, or we start acting differently toward him from how we were today."

Quatre nodded, agreeing with her, "I wouldn't mention any of this to him at all, unless of course, he asks or brings up the subject himself, then just be truthful, don't try to hide anything," continued Quatre, "Just be diplomatic and thoughtful with your replies."

The gathering continued for another hour or so before they decided to call it a night.

Quatre was the last one to leave the room a few minutes after everyone had ascended the stairs and retired to their rooms.

As he turned off the light and entered the hallway, he noticed Heero stood at the bottom of the large sweeping stairway propping himself against the curling banister rail.

"You okay Heero?" he asked as he wandered towards the stairs.

Heero nodded affirmatively, "Thanks, for bailing me out back then," he said in a subdued, appreciative tone.

Quatre looked down at the ground, stopping, with his foot on the first step,

"You know Heero, I'll do anything I can to help you. I am here. All you have to do is ask, just say the word, okay?"

Heero nodded gratefully, "I know Cat, and, well, I do want to talk with you about Fumio. I've been planning to come to you for help right from the start."

Quatre nodded. He had suspected that was the case.

"We won't talk now," continued Heero, "a couple of days okay? I just want to give him some time to settle in, then we'll talk."

"Any time Heero, day or night okay? just come and find me," replied Quatre, "I'm here for you both."

Heero nodded appreciatively again, "I owe you Cat," he called as Quatre began making his way up the stairs.

Quatre acknowledged him with a nod,

"Goodnight Heero."

Four in the morning. An hour from first light. Wufei, carrying his current reading book, quietly descended the stairs of the sleeping household and opened the door to the Drawing room. It closed behind him with a suppressed 'click'. He shuffled across the dark room towards his favourite chair, sat down and reached across a small table, switching on the desktop lamp perched on top.

He sat back and began rifling through the pages of his book to find his place. Suddenly, he noticed a subtle aroma in the air; it was of burning candles and incense. He stopped and looked up, sniffing the air.

He scanned his eyes towards the far side of the 'L' shaped room, to where it disappeared around the corner. He could see the faint, warm glow of candlelight flickering shadows on the wall.

"That's very careless" Wufei thought to himself, "someone must have left a candle burning unattended." He put his book down on the table and got up to investigate.

As he made his way across the room, he spotted a small, lit, candle sat in a holder on the floor. As more of the area became visible to him, he spotted several more candles lined up, burning silently.

He was about to ask himself 'what's going on?' when suddenly he noticed a small shadowy figure sat cross-legged on the floor beyond the line of candles.

It was Fumio. He was wearing his traditional orange monks' robe. His eyes were closed, his hands resting upturned on his knees. He was totally still. Wufei realized he was meditating.

Suddenly feeling a little guilty that he may have disturbed the young monk, as silently as he could, he crept back towards where he had left his book deciding he would find another room to read in. He quietly switched off the table lamp and tiptoed towards the door, but as he began to push down on the door handle, he heard a quiet voice call to him in a whisper.

"Wufei-san?"

Wufei looked back into the room to see Fumio's silhouette standing there.

"I have disturbed you," said Wufei in a whisper, a tone of guilt in his voice, "I am sorry, it was not my intention."

Fumio smiled. "It's all right Wufei-san, you did not disturb me. I was just… actually, I was hoping I would bump into you," he replied.

Wufei looked at him oddly.

"Will you join me for a while?" asked the boy, gesturing towards the candlelit area beside him.

Wufei agreed. He put his book down on the table and walked back across the dark room. Fumio sat back down on the floor where he was before. Wufei slipped off his shoes, and sat down on the opposite side of the line of candles where they sat facing each other silently.

Wufei looked down at the burning candles. The situation felt oddly familiar as memories of the last time he was in a temple came back to him. It had been quite a while since he had used candles to meditate, and having a monk sat opposite him seemed to add to the ambience.

Without saying anything, Fumio closed his eyes, sat straight and took some long breaths. Wufei felt compelled to do the same. They remained sat in silence for several minutes in a light, meditation.

Very quickly, Wufei began to feel wonderfully calm and serene as his mind quietened down allowing him to drift into a much deeper state of reflection. It was something he had greatly needed for a long time. He had been struggling to meditate successfully since the war had ended, although he didn't fully understand why.

Fumio could sense Wufei's unusual contentment and allowed him the time he needed before they would speak.

Eventually, after half an hour or so, Fumio took some more deep breaths, hinting the end of their short meditation.

Wufei took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. Fumio was looking straight at him with a compassionate and charming smile.

Wufei looked different. The serious, almost-scowling look that had recently become a permanent fixture on his face had eased somewhat. He looked relaxed, serene, and even slightly happy.

"It's been a while," he commented quietly, his tone showing a hint of surprise. He looked back down at the candles, "For the past few months I have been virtually unable to meditate," he spoke regretfully, "I've tried often, but it has always been a very poor experience, my mind has been so active and dominant, but _that_ ," he grinned slightly, "that was quite a revelation. Thank you," he said gratefully, bowing his head.

Fumio nodded back.

"Did you help me to do that?" asked Wifei, "how is that even possible?"

"Perhaps I just helped you find something you had mislaid," he replied enigmatically, "but I am glad you found it again Wufei san, I am happy for you."

Fumio shifted to get comfortable, then looked Wufei in the eye.

"Wufei san, did my brother speak with you last night?"

Wufei hesitated for a moment, unsure where he was going with this. He preferred not to get on to the subject of what Heero had revealed last night.

"Heero said _many_ things last night," he gingerly replied.

"But did he speak to you alone?" asked Fumio.

Wufei shook his head, relieved the boy was clearly referring to something else.

By now it was obvious to the monk that Heero did not get the chance to relay his offer. Fumio nodded his head, concluding his enquiry. He shifted again.

"Wufei san, please, may I ask you a personal question?"

Wufei nodded, "Sure."

"May I ask, when was the last time you experienced a samurai meditation ritual?"

Wufei raised an eyebrow,

"You know of that ritual?" he asked, sounding surprised and slightly impressed.

Fumio nodded, smiling.

"Well…" Wufei looked up to the ceiling as he thought back, "it was three years and… eight months ago," he replied, counting the months back in his mind.

He reminisced further on the memory, "It was with grand-master Yamamoto, what an amazing guy. There were just six of us students that took part in the ritual," a broad smile appeared on Wufei's face as he explored his memories further, "a most enlightening experience, spiritually, physically, emotionally and culturally, a truly amazing day that I will remember for a long, long time."

Wufei looked back down at the young monk, "But tell me Fumio, how did you know I had experienced the ritual?"

"It was just a guess," he replied, "I figured as a Gundam Pilot you would have had the best training possible, and I know that no Samurai would go into a real battle without first experiencing the ritual at least once."

A grin slowly appeared on Wufei's face, "You are very perceptive my young friend, and also very correct."

Wufei thought to himself for a moment, "I recall from last night that Heero mentioned your primary weapon of choice was the Samurai sword, is this true?"

Fumio nodded, "Did he tell you that I'd spent over five years being trained up by a grand-master?"

A look of astonishment appeared on Wufei's face, "Heero mentioned…" suddenly he paused, thinking very carefully about what he was going to say.

"Heero said _many_ things last night, things about both your pasts, but he never mentioned that." Wufei's voice had unintentionally become hesitant and sorrowful.

Fumio nodded subtly, quickly figuring out from Wufei's tone that Heero must have told him about their dreadful pasts.

The boy looked saddened for a moment as if suddenly being reminded of those awful times, "I guess he told you about what happened," he spoke softly.

Wufei nodded, "I'm am very sorry to hear what happened to you, and what you went through," he whispered, "I can only imagine what that must have been like."

Fumio could sense a genuine sadness radiating from Wufei, a sincere and heartfelt empathy. It caused him to feel an increased warmth and concord for the Shenlong pilot.

With a brief sigh, Fumio shook off any sad feelings he was having and the subtle smile returned to his face as he perked-up again. He reached across and gently pressed his small hand onto Wufei's forearm, "Thank you for caring Wufei San, but there's no need to worry, it was a long time ago," he whispered, "things are much better now."

Wufei nodded in acknowledgement, warmed by the boy's compassionate gesture, but despite the smile and reassurances, he could sense the hidden pain Fumio still carried with him; the deep emotional scars that still lurked behind those otherwise bright eyes. It triggered more pangs of sadness inside him when he realised that part of Fumio's likeable and charming smile was a mask, a well-practised protective veneer he used to cover up his inner pain.

He could see that contrary to their outward appearance, these were not the bright eyes of a young and carefree youth. These were worldly eyes, reticent, cautious and timid, seasoned by unthinkable suffering, yet simultaneously they radiated an almost overwhelming sense of benevolence; a disarming warmth and gentleness, the strength of which he had never encountered before.

"How could _anyone_ have done that to him?" he thought silently to himself, "what kind of a monster would someone have to be to do that?" Wufei could feel a tightening in the pit of his stomach as his thoughts began to conjure up an inner anger.

Fumio was watching him mull-over the thoughts deep in his mind.

"Are you okay Wufei-san?" he asked.

Wufei suddenly broke from his thoughts, "Uh? oh, yeah, I'm fine." he replied. He took a deep breath and recomposed himself, consciously snapping his mind away from the gloom he had inadvertently been getting tangled up in.

"Sorry, please do continue," he replied, bringing himself fully back in to the present moment, "you were talking about your training."

Fumio nodded and continued with their earlier conversation.

"So did Heero not say anything about my Samurai training?" He asked.

Wufei shook his head, "He made no mention of it. Were you really trained by a grand-master?"

Fumio smiled, nodding. "Yes, back on the colony where Heero and I were train…" he paused, suddenly looking a little awkward. He quickly corrected himself, "...I mean, where we _grew up_."

Wufei nodded, understanding why he had paused. Fumio smiled briefly, then continued with his explanation.

"I got my first sword when I was four years old."

The surprised look returned to Wufei's face, "That's quite extraordinary," he whispered.

"But then, when I Left the foundation, at first I didn't want to do anything like that any more."

Wufei could hear stress in Fumio's voice,

"I didn't want to do anything that I had been…" he hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "...been _made_ to do on the colony."

Wufei nodded, "I completely understand that," he replied with empathy in his tone.

"But Lama Banai, the head monk at the monastery, he persuaded me to carry on with my skills and not to forget them, like I was trying to do," continued Fumio, "he helped me to take away the bad feelings they gave me, and turned them into something positive and wonderful. He taught me to 'claim them back', and to make my skills something that could be used in a positive way, to help others, to protect and defend those who cannot fight for themselves."

Wufei raised an eyebrow, there was something strangely familiar about the young monk's words.

Fumio looked down at the candles, shifting slightly nervously, and then looked Wufei in the eye.

"Wufei-san, I am certainly not a grand-master; I am just a simple monk and only a humble student, but I _can_ lead the meditation ritual."

Wufei came back with his astonished look, "But it takes years to learn just the basic moves!" he gasped, "how is this even possible?"

"I've studied hard, _very_ hard," replied Fumio, a slight smile on his face. "I have led the ritual twice for a small number of Samurai students."

Wufei was lost for words. "This is remarkable!" he stuttered, "Fumio, you must be only person in this country, who would have the knowledge to lead that ritual."

Fumio shook his head, "No, there are others," he replied confidently.

They sat quiet for a moment. Eventually Fumio spoke again, "Wufei san, I will offer to lead the ritual for you, if you would like me to."

Wufei looked him in the eye. He did not know what to say or even think.

"I… I… I…" he stuttered, "you… you'd do that, for me?!"

"Only if you want to," replied Fumio, "please do not feel under any pressure to accept."

"I don't know what to say," replied Wufei, still gasping.

"I can't promise that the event will be as fulfilling as that day, with grand-master Yamamoto, added Fumio, "but I can promise to stay faithful to the traditions of the original form."

Wufei gasped again, "No insult intended Fumio san, but are you absolutely _sure_ you are fully versed in the whole ritual? it's vastly complicated, with hundreds of specific and very intricate moves. If you are uncertain of what you are doing, I can not guarantee your safety." He paused for a moment, his voice suddenly lowered to a concerned whisper, "I would _hate_ to injure you."

Fumio smiled brightly, "No insult taken Wufei-san, but I don't know how else to convince you."

"We could use blunted swords?"

Fumio shook his head negatively, "I think we both know that using anything other than fully sharpened swords will reduce the effect and spiritual significance of the ritual to virtually nothing, which wouldn't make it worth doing at all."

Wufei Sighed, still looking a little concerned. "I know, but…"

"It is kind of you to be worried for my safety Wufei-san," interrupted Fumio, in an assuring tone, "but please, you must not be worried. Trust me, this is something I am fully capable and competent in doing," he said confidently, "so please, let me do this for you."

Wufei, slowly, finally, nodded his head in agreement, accepting Fumio's reasoning and offer.

He stood up, and bowed slowly, respectfully to the young monk. "Then, I accept your most generous offer, with humbleness and great appreciation."

Fumio stood up and returned the bow.

They stood silently for a moment, until Wufei spoke again. "When would you like to start?" he asked.

"We can begin today at first light if you want to," suggested Fumio, "but might I please first ask a favour of you, Wufei-san?"

"Just Name it," replied Wufei.

"I have not brought a sword with me, "said Fumio, "do you have one I may use?"

"I have several, you can use any one you wish," Wufei replied, "come with me."

Wufei gestured for Fumio to follow him as he headed for the door. Fumio quickly blew out the candles and followed.

A few minutes later they were stood in Wufei's room next to a tall wardrobe. Wufei opened the door and reached in. He pulled out a long cloth-wrapped bundle and carried it over to the bed. He untied and unrolled it carefully, revealing a small collection of six perfectly maintained Samurai Swords protected in their scabbards.

"You can choose any one of these to use," suggested Wufei.

Fumio's eyes stared in wonder at the impressive collection, "You have some exceptionally good quality swords here Wufei-san," he noted, giving away a small hint of his extensive knowledge.

"These are just my practice spares," replied Wufei, "my main sword is over there." He pointed to a large antique sideboard across the room. Another sword sat proudly displayed on a modest-looking stand.

Fumio glanced up at the sword momentarily and then did a big double-take. He froze for a few moments staring at it, scrutinising it before his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

"Is that... is that... _no_ , _it_ _can't be_!" he gasped with sudden enthusiasm, "it looks like a _Masamune_!"

A happy grin fell onto Wufe's face as he realised he'd finally found someone who was able to truly appreciate the significance of the history behind sword he carried.

Fumio span around and looked excitedly at the grinning pilot, "It is, isn't it!" he beamed.

Wufei nodded affirmatively, still grinning and clearly delighted that Fumio knew what it was. "It's been in my family for generations," he stated proudly, "I'm impressed Fumio-chan, you really do know your stuff."

Fumio didn't fully register what Wufei had said, he was still in shock at seeing the historic sword. He stared at it with a degree of wonder.

"It's beautiful!" he gasped, "my goodness, they are so rare, I never thought I would ever get to see one with my own eyes."

Wufei walked over to the sideboard and took the sword from the stand, then he offered it to the monk. "Here you are welcome to look at it if you want."

Fumio backed away a little and folded his arms, pinching his hands under his armpits as if trying to prevent them from doing anything. He shook his head, "I can't, I daren't!" he shook his head looking a little intimidated by the offer, "these swords are a priceless piece of history. I'm amazed you _actually_ still use it!" He gasped.

Wufei continued to smile. He completely understood Fumio's trepidation. This was not the first time he'd had this conversation with someone.

"Did you know that Masamune made a pact with those who commissioned his swords?" asked Wufei.

Funio shook his head. "No I didn't, what kind of a pact?" he asked.

"Even after he'd earned the reputation of making the finest samurai swords in the world, he never lost his humbleness as an artisan. Despite their beauty and superb craftsmanship, he always insisted that his swords were tools made to be used and were never to be treated or kept like trinkets. The last thing Masamune would have wanted was for his work to be hidden away in some dusty old museum," he said, "these swords were tools made to be used, and they have been used and handed down by my family for countless generations with that same understanding."

Fumio nodded, fascinated by the spontaneous history lesson. He also looked a little less nervous about the idea of actually handling it.

Wufei gently offered it to him again. Gingerly the boy-monk took it and began to examine it with fascinated eyes.

"It's much lighter than I was expecting," he grinned sounding surprised, "oh wow!, look, you can even see the way the metal hilt has been folded and then textured through the quenching process."

Fumio was in his element. It was clear he knew a great deal about the subject matter and was clearly thrilled to be holding such a significant piece of history in his hands.

After several engrossing minutes, Fumio eventually offered the sword back to Wufei, clearly gratified at being given the opportunity to handle something so rare and precious.

"This is the very reason they are the best ever made," said Wufei as he took the sword back into his possession, "it's still in service even after all this time, and it is still creating a thrill of excitement. What more fitting tribute could a skilled craftsman wish for?"

Eventually, after their brief but enjoyable distraction, they both wandered back towards the bed where Wufei's spare swords were laid out. Fumio still needed to borrow a sword if they were to perform the ritual together.

Wufei reached down and picked up one of the shorter spare swords, feeling its weight. "This one will probably be a good balance for your height," he suggested, offering the sword Hilt-first to Fumio, holding it by the cover. Fumio was about to take it but suddenly stopped. He looked up at Wufei and folded his arms.

"Are you testing me Wufei?" he asked with a slight grin, cocking his head to one side.

"What do you mean?" asked Wufei.

"A sword must never be drawn from its scabbard like that, especially just prior to a ceremony or ritual," Fumio replied.

Slowly, a respectful, smile appeared on Wufei's face. "Forgive me," he spoke, bowing deeply to the monk, "I just needed to be certain."

"It's completely okay Wufei, I would have done the same thing had our roles been reversed."

Wufei held the sword in two hands and offered it ceremoniously to the young monk, bowing again.

Fumio gently took the sword and bowed in return, "Thank you Wufei san, I promise I will look after it. Shall we meet on the lawn out towards the big lake?"

Wufei nodded, agreeing.

"Okay," Fumio nodded, "please just give me about fifteen minutes to change and get ready, I'll knock on your door when I am heading out there."

Wufei nodded again, bowing respectfully as Fumio headed for the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Four forty AM on a crisp summer's morning. Light was beginning to filter across the land through the mist that had formed during the night. The distant mountains glowed in translucent luminescence, anticipating the sun's appearance.

Still dormant from night, the Winner mansion sat silently in the semi-darkness, its imposing silhouette quietly dominating the skyline of the huge grounds in which it nestled.

Some distance from the historic building, far out across the huge well-kept lawn, stood a lone figure dressed in traditional warrior-monk's attire, almost hidden by the mist. It was Fumio. His outline contrasted only by the brightness of the clothes he wore; light orange cotton garments that looked like a cross between a Buddhist monk's robe and a jump suit, obviously designed for manoeuvrability, under which he wore a rich, saffron yellow tunic visible at the neck and sleeves. Around his waist, he'd tied a wide, black cotton belt, forming an anchor point for the Samurai Sword, which sat diagonally upwards across his back, its hilt protruding above his right shoulder. His lower legs displayed traditional white Shaolin leg covers, held in place by criss-crossed black cotton tapes leading down to the white, canvass sneakers on his feet.

The boy stood motionless. Feet together, elbows pointing outwards, hands clasped together in prayer before his face, his eyes closed tight, concentrating hard on the moment, summoning the necessary forces of mind, body and spirit to allow him to proceed with this mysterious and extraordinary fighting ritual.

Wufei opened the door to the rear of the mansion and took a breath of the cool air. He felt excited, yet strangely nervous of the impending event. He walked across the patio area towards the lawn. He too was dressed in clothing of the appropriate attire; All-white traditional Chinese garments with his sword tied into the waist by a thick black cotton belt.

As he approached the lawn, Wufei stopped, bowed respectfully, and then continued walking out towards the monk stood waiting in the distant mist.

On reaching Fumio, Wufei stopped a few feet away, bowed deeply once, then dropped to his knees, bowing again, prostrating himself in complete humbleness before the monk. There he stayed, until Fumio stepped forward and placed a hand gently on the back of his head, chanting an almost rhythmic phrase from the ancient Pali texts as he completed a blessing.

Wufei stood up again. They faced each other about six feet apart, bowed, then both kneeled down on the ground facing each other. Fumio put both arms out in front of him, took a deep breath, and then chanted some more of the ancient language. He clapped his hands twice, then brought them back, resting them on his knees.

Wufei then did the same thing, quoting the same words before resting his hands on his knees.

Finally, they began to take deep, slow breaths as they prepared to initiate the first of several deep meditations required by the ritual.

Trowa was the first to get up. He made his way downstairs to the kitchen, filled the kettle and switched it on. As he sat at the large kitchen table gathering his thoughts, Duo appeared through the doorway. They nodded in a fairly subdued acknowledgement of each other.

A short while later, Quatre appeared.

Within half an hour, the rest of the group had woken and gathered in the kitchen as the first point of contact.

Quatre had organized a large toaster, a couple of loaves of bread, and cereals on the large wooden table so that people could just help themselves. He nominated himself as official tea and coffee maker, responding to everyone's individual requests.

Several of the group were perched or stood around in various places around the Kitchen. Hilde was leaning on the windowsill periodically looking out of the window. Noin, Sally, and Heero were perched up against the work surfaces whilst Duo and Trowa were sat at the table tucking into breakfast. Quatre was wandering around, as always being a good host, making sure everyone had their beverages topped up.

Duo was on his forth round of toast, and pouring some cereal into a bowl. Sally looked at him in disbelief. She was nursing what looked like a slight hangover.

"I don't know how people can even face breakfast in the morning," she commented, still sounding half-asleep, "let alone four rounds of toast and cereal."

Duo just grinned at her as he reached across and grabbed an extra croissant.

"You okay Sal?" asked Quatre handing her the cup of strong coffee she'd requested.

She nodded, "Don't worry Cat, I'm always like this in the mornings," she replied in a dry voice, "I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper, just keep the coffees coming and I'll be fine," she forged a subtle smile.

"Has anyone seen Wufei or Fumio this morning?" asked Trowa curiously, before biting into a piece of toast.

"Fumio's up already," replied Heero, "I checked in on his room before I came down. He's an early bird, so I guess he'll either be studying or is exercising somewhere in the grounds."

"Maybe Wufei is with him," suggested Quatre.

"You said he's an early riser Heero?" commented Noin, cupping her hands around her mug of tea, "it's only seven in the morning now."

"At the monastery, they all get up by about four AM." he replied, "Fumio, along with the other monks tend to spend the first hour of their day exercising before meditating."

"Wow!" replied Noin, "now that's probably something I couldn't keep up for long."

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise," quoted Quatre filling his favourite cup and saucer with another refill of tea, "at least, that's how I think the saying goes."

"Err… guys? I think I've just found them," piped up Hilde. She was staring out of the kitchen window, her eyes obviously fixed on something in the distance. Trowa stood up from his chair, and wandered over next to her, curious to see what she had spotted. Sally also shuffled across the kitchen and peered over both their shoulders out into the still misty morning.

"What on earth are they doing?" asked Hilde

"It looks like they're having a _sword_ fight," replied Trowa in a slightly confused tone. "Err… Heero, you might want to take a look at this," he suggested suddenly sounding more concerned.

Two small figures, one orange, the other white, loomed in the misty distance. They were jumping and leaping about furiously, swinging what appeared to be swords at each other. Heero wandered across the kitchen to where the others were gathered and peered out into the grounds.

"Oh, that must be what Fumio was telling me about last night," he commented matter-of-factly, before calmly, wandering back to the toaster and picking up some bread.

"Heero!" called Sally with urgency, "what the hell's going on? it looks like they're trying to kill each other!"

Trowa put his coffee mug on the table and began hurrying towards the back door, "Damn! we'd better go and break this up before someone gets hurt."

"Trowa! Guys! Just relax, there's nothing to worry about." called Heero in a totally calm voice. "It's just a traditional sword ritual that Fumio mentioned yesterday, he was going to offer to do it with Wufei."

"A ritual?" commented Duo, finally getting up from his chair and also wandering to the window, "let me see."

"I can't remember the name of it," said Heero, mulling over the memory in his mind, "it was some kind of traditional Samurai arrangement, something to do with meditation."

"They don't look like they're doing much meditating to me Heero," said Duo, also sounding a little concerned at what he was witnessing.

By now most of the group were at the window, watching what was going on.

Heero put his bread into the toaster and sat down. "That's bugging me now," he commented, "what was it called?"

Suddenly the others shouted in unison.

"WOAH!"

"My God! Did you see that?" barked Duo excitedly, "how the hell did he get away with that?"

"Unbelievable! how did Wufei manage to jump that high?" added Noin, just as excitedly.

"Ah! Got it!" said Heero suddenly, completely ignoring the comments made by the others. "Fumio called it, the Samurai Meditation Ritual."

Suddenly Quatre choked, almost spraying a mouthful of tea over everyone. He couldn't seem to swallow it, so quickly ran over to the sink and spat it out.

Everyone looked at him.

"You okay Cat?" asked Heero, looking up, raising an eyebrow.

Quatre span around from leaning over the sink, "The Samurai Meditation Ritual!?" he yelled at Heero, wiping the tea dribbling down his mouth with the back of his hand, "are you sure?"

Heero nodded, "Yup, I'm pretty sure that's what he said."

"Heero! Have you any idea how dangerous that ritual is?!" he yelled again with even greater urgency.

"Quatre, Relax." urged Heero, as he calmly placed another piece of bread into the toaster, "I'm sure Wufei knows what he's doing."

"But! But! But! Heero!" stuttered Quatre, "the Samurai Meditation Ritual is vastly complicated and deadly! It involves full-contact fighting using razor sharp swords. The slightest mistake could be fatal to either one of them!" he gasped almost in a panic, "aren't you even slightly concerned?"

Heero shook his head calmly gesturing with a shoulder shrug, "Don't worry guys, they're both gonna do just fine, Wufei wouldn't have agreed to doing it unless he was competent, he's not in any danger, he's gonna be fine."

"Err, Heero, I think right now we're more concerned about _Fumio_?" suggested Noin.

"What? Fumio? there's no need to worry at all, he'll be fine." replied Heero, "he knows his way around a sword, he's in no danger," was the calm reply.

"But Heero! just look at them! how can this possibly end well?" barked Duo still standing by the window looking very concerned, "are you absolutely sure about this? I mean look at them, they're totally _going for it._ This looks _properly_ serious!"

Heero stood up and wandered back to the window. He observed the fighting figures for a moment, then, seeming fairly unimpressed, wandered back to check on his toast again. He sat down.

"I guess, what I didn't tell you guys last night, was, that Fumio has spent most of his life being taught by a Samurai Grand master. He's also spent most of his time at the monastery continuing his studies of the sword techniques of the Samurai and fighting Monks," he replied quietly, "it's likely he knows more about it than Wufei does."

There were looks of astonishment as people took on-board the new information.

Duo stared at him, "You really have been full of surprises lately Heero," he commented with a grin, pointing a finger at him. "what else don't we know about you? Hmm? what other amazing secrets have you got hidden away in that guarded mind of yours?"

Suddenly there were more unified gasps as another round of "Wow! did you see that?" started up again.

Trowa peeled his view away from the window and looked back at his wartime comrade, "Heero, you really should see this, it's pretty incredible," he suggested in a much calmer voice than before.

"Yes this is amazing," added Sally, "and I don't think I've ever seen Wufei fight quite so expressively before either."

Heero grabbed a piece of toast and wandered back over to the window next to the others.

"I've watched Fumio practice often, you kind-of get used to it," he commented quietly, "although I don't think I could ever get bored of watching, it's an amazing skill, and in truth, I'm certain I could never master it to the extent that he has."

"They make it look so graceful," commented Hilde, it's actually quite beautiful, almost like watching ballet."

"Yeah, but thankfully without the tutu's," joked Duo, "somehow it just wouldn't look so cool."

By now Quatre had calmed down, Heero's assurances has given him a new found confidence in Wufei and Fumio's ability not to kill each other. "This is actually quite fascinating," he remarked, "I mean, I've heard of the Samurai Meditation Ritual, but I've certainly never seen it take place. It's very rare, like the sort of thing you get to hear about in legends and never actually witness first-hand."

"What else do you know about it Quatre?" enquired Hilde.

"Only what I've read," he replied. He was about to continue, when Sally interrupted.

"Oh look, they've stopped fighting now," she commented.

Everyone observed as the two figures put away their swords, and then bowed deeply to each other for a good few seconds, both obviously breathless from the fighting. Then they knelt, still facing each other and sat upright, motionless.

"What are they doing?" asked Trowa, "they look exhausted."

"Well," said Quatre, "I'm no expert, but if memory serves me correctly, I think the Samurai meditation ritual involves a series of meditations combined with a number of very intricate and complicated choreographed sword fights. It is supposed to be a ritual in which the Samurai warrior receives from a holy man a kind of blessing and spiritual 'charge up' to prepare him for whatever battles lay ahead."

"So they must be starting a meditation?" commented Hilde.

"I would guess so," he replied.

"How long does this ritual thing last Cat?" asked Sally.

"It dates back hundreds and hundreds of years and I think history tells of some rituals, before really important battles, lasting for an entire day. I believe there is also a legend that tells of over a thousand Samurai warriors going into a massive battle on such a high, because of the ritual, that they were completely victorious, and took only a tiny handful of casualties."

"Wow!" remarked Noin, "it sounds like something we could have all done with back in the war."

"Actually, at one time, this ritual was reserved only for Kings and great leaders who would pass down the blessing to their own warriors. Whenever it is done nowadays, there are usually several students put through it simultaneously. Wufei should be feeling pretty privileged to be doing this alone, one on one, it's a very rare opportunity he's been given."

"So do you think they'll be out there all day?" asked Heero, taking a sip from his tea mug.

"That depends on them. They may only go a few hours before they finish," informed Quatre, "or they may have chosen to go from first light to sundown. It's different with each ritual based on the needs of those doing it."

"So how does it end?" asked Noin, forming a grin, "do they let off some fireworks or something?"

Quatre smiled, "Nothing quite so grand," he replied, "actually, towards the end, the monk will give a final blessing by smearing his own blood onto the warriors sword and body, usually the hand wielding the sword."

This time it was Heero's turn to suddenly choke, almost spitting his coffee out across the room.

"What?!" he gasped, coughing a little, "what do you mean he uses his own blood?!"

"Relax Heero," replied Quatre, suddenly realizing the irony of their role reversal. "we're probably talking about just a tiny cut, I'm guessing a small nick to a thumb or finger at most. It only requires a few drops."

"Are you Sure?" replied Heero, still sounding a little concerned.

Quatre nodded, "Absolutely."

Heero continued with his questioning, "What did they do in the old days? was it a small nick to the thumb back then?"

Quatre hesitated, "Actually, no, Nowadays, it's just a nick to the thumb, but I recall reading that in more recent history it would have been a slice to the hand, across the palm, but originally it was across the wrist, however, because too many monks bled to death afterwards, they changed it," Quatre started to ramble off at a tangent, "but the monks always got a funeral with the highest honours, in fact, they were considered…"

"Quatre!" interrupted Heero, now sounding vexed, "I hate to interrupt your history lesson here, but this is Fumio we're talking about, the kid who doesn't do _anything_ by half-measures. The kid who believes in following tradition to the letter. If it says in the instruction manual to slit his wrist open, then he'll do it, trust me, I know this!"

Heero's words were on-edge and monotone, everyone could see that he was worried.

"Come on Heero," reasoned Duo, "do you honestly think that Wufei would let him do something like that? I know he can seem a bit cold and inhuman at times, but I know him well enough to realise he'd never let the kid do anything like that."

"Duo's right Heero," added Trowa, "I wouldn't worry, have a little faith in Wufei to look out for Fumio, they'll be fine."

Quatre added to the feedback, "They may not even include that bit of the ritual," he suggested.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they will, Fumio will insist on it," replied Heero, his voice still sounding concerned.

"If memory serves, the final decision will be Wufei's," suggested Quatre, "it's his sword that will make the cut."

"Hmm," mumbled Heero, he didn't sound convinced, but reluctantly decided to trust Wufei to act appropriately.

"So why the blood Quatre?" asked Noin.

"I don't recall exactly, but I'm guessing because it was considered to be symbolic, a gesture of purity, like holy water." Replied Quatre, shrugging his shoulders slightly, "I don't know for sure, maybe somebody just came up with the idea one day, and it stuck. How does any tradition start?"

The group continued to watch with curiosity the two figures still kneeling opposite each other on the dew-soaked grass.

"Why do you suppose they chose to do this thing today?" asked Duo.

"I don't know," replied Quatre, "but they obviously figured it seemed like a good idea. Heero? did Fumio say why he was going to offer to do the ritual with Wufei?"

Heero thought back to the night before, "Fumio said he thought that Wufei was looking for some kind of spiritual uplift or something. I think he's just doing what he thinks might help."

"I have to admit I've noticed Wufei has seemed a little low lately, "remarked Duo, "he seems to be scowling at people more than he usually does. Do you think this will work? Maybe cheer him up a bit?"

"I hope so" replied Sally, "come to think of it, he really hasn't been himself lately. A couple of times when I've spoken to him, he seemed really distracted."

"Well, I think it's very good of your brother to try to help him," suggested Noin.

Heero nodded, "Fumio's a sucker for hard-luck cases, but I figured they'd get on well anyway, because of the Samurai heritage they both have in common."

"Well, if the ritual is supposed to give the warrior a spiritual charge," pondered Quatre, "I figure it certainly won't do Wufei any harm, bearing in mind the nature of how he tries to view the world with such a spiritual slant."

Hilde looked upwards out of the window, "It looks like it will develop into another fine day, as soon as this mist goes away. Perhaps we could sit outside on the patio and watch the show from there?"

"Actually Hilde," replied Quatre, "can I ask everyone that we don't go outside anywhere on this side of the building until they have finished, bearing in mind they need total concentration. The slightest distraction could cause a mistake, so I think we should make an effort to respect the space they need by not entering it."

There was a general nodding of heads and an understanding of Quatre's comments.

"Why don't we go to the lounge instead," suggested Quatre, "we can sit comfortably and still keep an eye on them through the windows without them seeing us."

There was more nodding of heads, and slowly the group began to filter into the lounge. They moved two of the large sofas so they could all watch out of the windows as they sat.

From there, they spent much of the morning just chatting about many different things, drinking large quantities of tea and coffee between them, and just enjoying each other's company, simultaneously keeping an eye on their two warrior friends on the distant lawn.

A few hours later, Wufei and Fumio had finished their final sword fight. They stood facing each other before Wufei bowed deeply, then dropped to one knee, holding his sword, blade tip pointing towards Fumio.

Fumio put his own sword away and stepped forward, gently grasping the tip of Wufei's blade, holding his thumb against the point. He pressed down and seconds later a small trickle of blood ran down his thumb from the tiny wound. Wufei Brought his hands to his chest, holding the sword upright in the air, and Fumio stepped in to carry out the final blessing, smearing his own blood across the blade then onto the back of Wufei's hand, simultaneously chanting more of the ancient Pali tongue.

Then they knelt and settled again for a final short meditation, and about twenty minutes after that, they stood for a final time. Fumio produced a Khata scarf from his pocket, a narrow scarf of pure white silk, about four feet long. He unfolded it and held it out in two hands. Wufei stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Fumio reached up and placed the scarf over Wufei's head onto his neck, then gently cupped his hands on either side of Wufei's face, as their foreheads touched gently together in a gentle, appreciative embrace.

"Namaste Wufei San," he whispered sincerely.

Wufei was feeling felt a great sense of warmth towards his new friend. The ritual had been much more powerful than he had anticipated. Despite his totally cool and emotionless appearance, he was beginning to feel an almost overwhelming sense of joy and renewal on the inside.

As he allowed his intense concentration to finally ease after almost four hours, he could suddenly begin to feel more of the positive results the ritual had created within him. He felt euphoric, exhilarated, and totally alive, like someone had just woken him up from a very long slumber. He reached his hands up and cupped them gently on either side of Fumio's face.

"Namaste, Fumio san, Namaste!" he said in a gasped, almost tearful whisper, "Thank you! Thank you, so much!"

Fumio gave a smile before they slowly broke apart. The Ritual was not over yet, and had to be completed. They took another moment to bow again, then, while Fumio remained standing in the same stance he was in when Wufei first walked onto the field, the Shenlong pilot turned and walked slowly away, back towards the house. On reaching the edge of the patio he turned and gave a long deep bow once more before. The Ritual was over.

Once he saw Wufei disappear into the house, Fumio bowed once more, then turned and headed out towards a large oak tree nestled near the lake. He wanted to take some time to reflect on the experience. He was feeling strange. He felt tired from the incredible intensity of the concentration he had gone through over the last four hours, but there was another feeling, something deep within that he could not quite fathom.

He reached the tree, untied the sword from across his back and sat down, leaning back against the trunk, looking out across the lake.

The rest of the group were still in the lounge when they heard footsteps walking up the hallway. They had watched most of the ritual and were aware that it was now over.

"That must be Wufei," said Duo, getting up from his seat and heading towards the door, "I want to ask him how it went."

Quatre put an arm out to stop him. "I'd imagine that Wufei would want some contemplation time alone for a while Duo," he suggested, tactfully, "it might be better if you asked him later."

Duo paused, then sighed, "I guess you're right," he replied, thinking about Quatre's words.

They could hear Wufei's footsteps as they passed by the lounge door before he headed up the stairs to his room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

It was late afternoon when Wufei finally emerged from his room and headed downstairs to join the others. The rest of the group had spent the day on the patio area of the manor grounds and gardens relaxing in the warm sunshine, taking advantage of their short holiday. Most of them had tried their hand at various lawn games such as croquet and bowling, as well as enjoying getting themselves lost in the large hedge maze that was also a feature of the mansion grounds.

Duo was the first to spot Wufei as he appeared at the French doors coming from the lounge.

"Hey Wufei!" he called, beaming a smile.

The others looked over and offered friendly words and gestures of greeting as Wufei stepped onto the patio and walked over to them.

They could see he had changed into more casual clothes: a cream short-sleeved shirt and lightweight, khaki coloured casual trousers.

Wufei observed the others as he walked unhurriedly along the patio towards them. The three girls, Sally, Hilde and Noin, were all relaxing side-by-side on full-length sun loungers, positioned in the best place to catch the sun's warm rays. All three were dressed in light, summery clothing, each holding rather exotic looking drinks adorned with little umbrellas and slices of fruit.

Trowa and Duo were sat perched on a small raised garden bed wall close to them, also holding drinks and chatting with the girls. Further along the patio, Wufei could see Quatre and Heero in the process of preparing a large barbeque cooker.

As Wufei approached his friends, they all very quickly noticed that something appeared very different about him. The whole group picked up on it straight away. The slightly stressed and rather scowling look that seemed to be permanently etched on his face over the past weeks had completely gone.

In its place sat a bright and rather serene look of contentment. Wufei walked with a slight spring in his step as his whole being seemed to radiate with energy and calm.

Sally was the first to comment, "Wufei, you look great." she said, peering at him over the top of her small round sunglasses.

Hilde joined in the compliments, "Yes, Wufei, I can't put my finger on what's changed, but you look terrific."

Unable to hide how he was feeling, a broad smile slowly beamed from Wufei's face.

"Thank you," he replied quietly, "I can't fully explain it myself, but I feel tremendous. I've not felt this way for a long, long time."

"Is this because of that Samurai ritual thing you were doing with Heero's Brother earlier?" asked Duo.

Wufei looked him in the eye and nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, but it's so much more than just a simple ritual. It's hard to explain in detail. I just really wish you could all feel what I experienced today," he replied, still smiling, "it was remarkable."

"We watched a lot of it, you both seemed to be totally immersed in what you were doing," remarked Sally, "actually, it looked pretty dangerous."

"It takes lots of concentration," replied Wufei, "the swords are very sharp, but I suppose it's only dangerous if you don't know what you are doing, or are not competent."

By now, Quatre and Heero had finished lighting the barbeque and had wandered over.

"Hey Wufei," chirped Quatre as they re-joined the group, "you're looking good. I guess you enjoyed the meditation ritual then huh?"

Wufei nodded, "Very much," he replied, thanking Quatre for his comments, then he turned to face Heero.

Heero didn't say anything; he just acknowledged Wufei with a slight nod.

Wufei took a breath and hesitated for a moment. It was evident he wanted to say something to Heero, but it seemed a little harder to start than he first thought.

Eventually, he opened his mouth, "Heero, I want you to know how grateful I am for what your brother has given me today. I will be for a long time." Wufei bowed his head in acknowledgement to Heero.

Wufei's comments caught Heero off-guard a little. He was unsure how to respond to Wufei's very out-of-character compliments, even if they weren't aimed directly at him. But he could sense the genuine warmth in Wufei's voice as he referred to Fumio, and was happy in the knowledge that his brother had earned himself what he saw as a trustworthy and high-quality friendship.

A part of him found Wufei's gesture quite touching, yet, there was an element nagging in the back of his mind that this whole thing wasn't as clear-cut as it appeared to be. After seeing the very obvious change in Wufei, Heero became concerned that it was not all down to the Meditation Ritual. He wasn't convinced that leaping around with a sword for a few hours could have this kind of effect on a person, no matter how deeply spiritual the event seemed.

He began to wonder if, consciously, or more likely, unconsciously, Fumio's gifts may have been at work here and had somehow influenced Wufei's behaviour.

He knew Fumio had promised to make every effort not to use his gifts consciously, and Heero knew he would do his best to honour that pledge, but it wouldn't have been the first time that he'd inadvertently influenced someone with his strange abilities.

Heero recalled some month's earlier, Fumio's grave concern for one of the elderly non-fighting monks at the monastery who had been suffering from a crippling back pain that was getting worse. One night, Fumio had a vivid dream about this old monk, envisaging that he'd become a top athlete, taking to the running track in his robes and beating some of the worlds' greatest runners in a big race.

That same morning, the man woke up, not only miraculously cured, but he couldn't stop grinning and laughing with great joy. He would go about his day with an overexaggerated enthusiasm and fascination for even the simplest of things. The man's unusual behaviour lasted for several days, acting as if he had taken something that had made him act drunk, or high.

Eventually, it was realised that Fumio's gifts had subconsciously caused it to happen while the boy was asleep. It did cause some concern among the elder monks, and for a while, there was talk about moving Fumio to a more isolated location while his gifts could mature without causing further incidents, but as it was a one-off occurrence, and because no harm was caused, the idea was not pursued.

After pausing to think, Heero replied to Wufei's gesture of words with a simple nod, exercising caution not to get caught up in conversation about it. Wufei was quick to pick up on Heero's reserved reply. He could see the mulling going on inside his head, but decided it best not to pursue or question him further. He simply returned the nod in acknowledgement.

"So where is Fumio anyway?" asked Wufei, scanning his eyes around the grounds.

"He's sat under the oak tree by the lake," said Quatre pointing towards the Lake. In the distance, Wufei could see a small orange figure sat at the base of a distant tree next to the lake, half hidden by its immense trunk.

"He's been there ever since the ritual was finished," continued Quatre, "We think he's meditating so we've just let him be. We didn't want to disturb him."

Noin sat forward in her chair, "He's been out there for hours, but Heero tells us that he's used to it and at the monastery, the monks will often meditate for a whole day or more."

"To be honest," said Quatre hesitantly, "he's been sat in direct sunlight for ages. He was in the shade earlier, but now I'm concerned he's gonna get badly sunburned."

Hilde laughed out, "Quatre, you sound like my mother!"

Quatre glanced back at her, smiling slightly, unsure how to reply.

"Hilde," added Sally in a more serious tone, "Quatre's right."

"Well, you would say that Sally, being a doctor and all," replied Hilde humorously.

"You've obviously not seen the damage a sun-induced malignant tumour will do," she replied, "ask any melanoma amputee about covering up in the sun, believe me, they'll tell you skin cancer is no fun."

"Okay! point taken," replied Hilde, still smiling, "perhaps someone should go and get him to move."

"I agree," said Quatre, "what do you think Heero?" he asked in a tone as if asking his permission.

Heero thought for a moment not appearing too bothered either way. He stared out towards the lake and observed the small figure still sitting motionless below the large tree. "I guess it wouldn't hurt," he eventually replied.

Quatre nodded then turned to Wufei. "I'm not familiar with the etiquette of disturbing a monk from meditation," he suggested, "I'm assuming you'd know more about such things Wufei?"

Wufei smiled as he realised the kind of complicated preconceptions Quatre must have had in his mind about life in a monastery.

"If you want to wake a monk from meditation, just approach and quietly call his name until he opens his eyes," His smile turned into a broad grin. "What? were you afraid a bolt of lightning would strike you down or something!" he laughed out loudly.

Quatre just grinned at him, looking a little embarrassed.

Wufei continued to laugh out, "Monks are just regular people just like you and me Quatre. I'm not sure what strange preconceptions you've got in that worrying, overthinking mind of yours, but I think you might want to loose some of them."

"Oh, that's so unfair of you Wufei," replied Quatre in light-hearted protest, still grinning. "It's easy for you to mock, you already have the knowledge, but when you don't know, it's not always right to just guess, especially if you can ask someone who already knows."

Wufei nodded, conceding to Quatre's argument, "Maybe having Fumio staying here will help you to learn some things about their way of life." He suggested, donning a more serious expression once more, "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have."

Quatre nodded, "You're right," he said brightly, donning a sudden scholarly enthusiasm, "this is a great opportunity for learning. I'll be sure to avail myself of it."

Wufei, still smiling, turned and began heading off in the direction of the lake, "I'll go to him," he said in a chirpy voice.

As he took his first few steps, Sally called to him. He turned and glanced back.

"Here, give him this if he's staying out there," she said, throwing him a small tube of sunblock.

Wufei caught it in his left hand and nodded, "Okay Sal," he called back as continued onwards.

Wufei wandered slowly, allowing himself time to contemplate further his own feelings. The meditation ritual had charged him up to a level of consciousness he had rarely experienced. He felt incredible. His body and mind were physically tired, even aching slightly, yet he felt invigorated, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. His mind felt more at peace than it had been for years. He felt so alive and glad to be so.

One of the strangest and most dominant things he was feeling at that time was a sense of heightened compassion. Compassion towards his trusted fellow Gundam pilots: Quatre, Duo, Trowa, and Heero. Compassion towards his wartime comrades and trusted friends: Sally, Relena, Hilde, Noin, and Catherine, the Maganacs, and everyone who had helped them during the war.

But at that moment, the most dominating feeling of all, was a sense of warm affection and gratefulness towards a small boy sat under a large oak tree, not fifty paces ahead of him.

As Wufei walked, he observed the brightly dressed boy, sat upright and cross-legged at the base of the big oak tree, his presence radiating a real sense of calm and serenity as the sun's rays illuminated his bright clothing.

Wufei couldn't help but constantly think back to what Heero had told the group the night before, about the life of sheer hell both he and Fumio had to endure during their Gundam training.

As thoughts of their mistreatment and the kinds of things they both went through intruded into his mind, he felt a powerful sense of protection and allegiance begin to shine through and overwhelm his thoughts. Those feelings were accompanied by slightly unrealistic pangs of guilt for not being able to prevent what had happened to them in the past.

Wufei stared ahead again at the boy sat under the tree.

"It won't ever happen again, that's my promise to you Fumio," he vowed, mutely to himself, whispering under his breath, "so long as there is a breath in my body, I will never allow you to suffer like that again. The same goes for you too Heero."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The sun beat a pleasant warmth upon Wufei as he strolled towards the large oak tree by the lake. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, taking note of the life all around him, the birds in the trees, the fish occasionally jumping on the surface of the lake, the tall Grey Heron standing on the bank not far from his position and the wild deer stalking timidly amongst the long grass of the uncultivated fields a little way off to his right.

Since doing the meditation ritual Wufei had noticed his general awareness and receptiveness had sharpened very noticeably. Colours appeared brighter; sounds were louder, and subtle smells seemed stronger. He noted the intricate sounds made by the small wildlife and insects that he had only very recently realised were all around him. Even the sun itself felt like it was radiating a harmonious hum that he could somehow detect deep inside his mind.

Fumio was sat cross-legged and upright. He appeared to be deep in meditation when Wufei approached. The boy had discarded his footwear and was sat barefoot on the soft grass. The sword he had borrowed from Wufei lay on the ground next to his sneakers.

Saying nothing, Wufei crouched and sat quietly on the ground next to the boy, observing him for a moment before closing his own eyes. He took a breath and quietly began contemplating all that the day had brought to him.

"Today has been a good day," he thought to himself.

Moments later his thoughts were disturbed by a strange but quiet sound.

He opened his eyes. The sound came again. It was Fumio quietly snoring.

The sides of Wufei's mouth turned upward as he realised the boy was not meditating at all but was fast asleep. Wufei realised he must have been completely exhausted from leading the ritual earlier.

He observed him for a few moments, feeling a need to leave him alone, but he realised Quatre had been right with his concerns. He could clearly see Fumio's exposed skin, his face, arms, lower legs and feet were all starting to get a little red where he'd been sat in the sun too long.

Wufei weighed up in his mind whether to wake him or not, before eventually reaching out his arm and very gingerly placing it on Fumio's shoulder, quietly calling out his name.

Fumio took a deep breath then slowly opened his eyes. He looked tiredly at Wufei, rubbing one eye with the heel of his hand.

Wufei smiled. "You okay? Fumio-Chan?"

Fumio took a few moments to answer before he eventually nodded.

"Sorry about waking you up, but you're going to get sunburned. You really should move into the shade."

Wufei pointed to the adjacent area still shaded by the tree under which they were sat.

Fumio nodded, still looking half-asleep, "Okay," was the simple, tired reply. He then proceeded to shuffle tiredly a few feet sideways into the shaded area.

Wufei shuffled across and sat beside him again. "How do you feel after the ritual?" he asked.

Fumio tiredly rubbed his eyes again. "I'm okay thanks, Wufei-san, but I can't believe how tired I am now," he mumbled, still trying to get his bearings.

"Maybe you should go to your room and get some sleep," he suggested.

Fumio shook his head negatively, "I can't waste a beautiful day like this," he whispered, his voice sounding a little croaky, "I'd much rather be outside."

Wufei nodded, understanding. He prepared to stand up again.

"I shall leave you to rest some more," he said, not wishing to intrude further into the monk's space or solitude any more than necessary.

"It's okay Wufei-san," replied Fumio, suddenly becoming a bit more alert, "you can stay, if you want to, that is."

Fumio yawned tiredly again, then he slowly stood up and began doing some stretching exercises to try to wake himself up a bit. A few moments later he sat back down again looking a lot more awake.

"So how about you Wufei-san?" he asked. "How are you feeling after doing the ritual? it went well didn't it?"

Wufei Nodded, "Indeed, and I feel good, thank you," he replied in a moderate tone.

"That's great," replied Fumio, his tone suggesting that he was somehow expecting a bit more than Wufei's subdued answer of 'just good'.

A grin slowly appeared on Wufei's face.

Fumio looked at him, "What is it?" he asked.

Wufei's grin developed into a full smile.

"What is it Wufei-san?" asked Fumio again, now smiling back at the grinning pilot.

"I feel so much _more_ than just good!" gasped Wufei, "I don't even know where to begin," he beamed excitedly, "I feel… I feel… _amazing_!"

"How, in what way?" asked Fumio with enthusiastic interest.

"It's hard to explain," replied Wufei, "but I just feel so… so _alive_! I see more clearly, colours seem more vibrant; sounds are clearer and louder, and I'm smelling things I haven't noticed before. It's as if all my senses have been enhanced somehow. But the strangest thing of all, and this is going to sound a little weird, it feels like I can sense the presence of the life all around me," replied Wufei hesitating slightly, realising just how zany the last line of his sentence must have sounded.

Fumio looked at him strangely, cocking his head to one side. "Can you elaborate?" he asked.

Wufei suddenly began to regret mentioning it, but now felt compelled to try to explain.

"It's the strangest thing," he continued, "it's so hard to put into words but," he lifted his head and began scanning around with his eyes, "perhaps I can demonstrate."

He stood up, "Watch..."

Wufei began walking quietly towards the wooden ranch-style fence some twenty or so paces from their location. Beyond the fence was a field covered in long, straw-coloured grasses that were almost shoulder high. As he reached the fence, Wufei paused for a moment, then clapped his hands loudly three times.

Suddenly, two deer took flight, leaping and bouncing through the long grass at speed, heading away and into the distance.

Fumio realised they must have been stood just feet from where Wufei was standing.

Wufei wandered back and sat beside the boy again. "I've sensed their presence since I got here, even though I could not see or hear them, I just knew they were there," he said excitedly, contemplating his new-found abilities.

Suddenly, Fumio did not feel so comfortable. It occurred to him that this was far from normal. The meditation ritual was supposed to invigorate and refresh the mind and spirit, not give a person telepathic abilities. He began to feel a sinking in his heart.

"Oh no!" he thought silently to himself in a slight panic. He could only conclude one thing; that his secret gifts had somehow done this to Wufei.

He quietly tried to fathom how or why.

Since his gifts began to appear some five years previous, he had always believed that they were guided by something. It was as if they had a will or destiny of their own, although he seemed to have overall control of them for the most part. From time to time, he would feel them nudging him and gently persuading him to make certain decisions and take certain actions. At times it almost felt like another mind or entity was there within his own mind, although this never bothered him, in fact, he was quite comfortable with the idea. He looked upon it as if it were some guardian angel that looked out for him.

"So why would my gifts choose to make Wufei-san slightly telepathic, without indicating anything to me?" Fumio thought silently to himself, still feeling worried about how permanent the changes in Wufei might be. He thought back to the ritual, suddenly remembering one particular aspect of it.

"He came into direct contact with my blood," he thought, "is this some kind of contamination?"

He thought more about it but concluded it was unlikely. There had been several occasions in the recent past where training accidents had left him nursing bloody cuts and wounds. Those who had helped tend his wounds and clean him up, including Heero, had certainly never mentioned any kind of 'side effects'.

After more pondering, Fumio was unable to draw a conclusion, but his instincts were telling him not to be so worried, after all, Wufei did not appear harmed in any way, and seemed quietly thrilled by his new abilities.

"I don't know how long it will last, or to what degree I can use this new sense" continued Wufei, oblivious to Fumio's concerned pondering, "but there's definitely something strange happening there. In all your studying Fumio, have you ever heard of anything like this before? I know I certainly haven't."

"Er, no Wufei-san, I haven't," stuttered Fumio in reply suddenly feeling like a massive fraud.

Wufei grinned slightly, "Well, this is turning out to be a fascinating day indeed," he said.

Fumio smiled at him. "Well, I'm glad for you Wufei-san, I'm very happy that things have worked out so well."

Wufei looked back at his young friend, returning the smile. "Thank you _so much_ ," he said appreciatively, "I do not have the words to express how grateful I am for what you have done for me today. I am in your debt." He bowed his head.

Fumio nodded, smiling, silently accepting his thanks and decisively putting to rest any further worries he had about Wufei's apparent new abilities.

They remained in eye contact for a few seconds more before Fumio peeled his view away and stared back out across the lake.

"It's so beautiful here isn't it," he commented, changing the subject, "so peaceful."

"Yes, it is," agreed Wufei, "it's also interesting that out of the entire grounds, you chose this very tree to sit under, it is the same place that I usually come to whenever I want to be alone or relax when I'm staying here at the mansion."

"You mean I've been hogging your favourite place all this time?" replied Fumio, looking slightly regretful, "I'm sorry Wufei-san if I had known, I would have found somewhere else to sit." He spoke with genuine concern in his voice.

Wufei gave him a stern look, "Well, I suppose I can let you off, just this once" was the serious, monotone reply, "just don't let it happen again."

The anxious look on Fumio's face increased for a moment until he realised that Wufei was just toying with him. Once the penny had dropped, Fumio gave a sigh, then slowly a mischievous grin formed on his face.

"I'm sorry Wufei-san," replied Fumio, "but, wait a minute, hey! what's that?" he asked, suddenly leaning over and pointing his finger onto the front of Wufei's shirt.

"What's what?" asked Wufei, looking down to his own chest.

Immediately Fumio flicked his finger against Wufei's nose then began to giggle impishly. Wufei stared a momentary 'stunned' look at the giggling monk,

"Damn! I should have seen that one coming," he whispered to himself as a grin appeared on his face.

"Right! That's it!" Wufei playfully made a grab for the boy, but the small-framed monk had scrabbled to his feet and was on the run, giggling loudly as he went. Wufei, still grinning, quickly got up and went after him.

Fumio ran for cover on the other side of the tree trunk. Wufei attempted to stop and grab him from the opposite direction. Each time Fumio was able to duck and twist out of the way with lightening speed, making full use of the incredible flexibility he had gained from his trained skills. Wufei was pretty quick too and had caught hold of him several times, but was unable to get a firm enough grip before Fumio had twisted away again. A few moments later, Fumio made a break for the open lawn, but Wufei could run faster and caught up with him, grappling him into a gentle headlock.

The boy-monk squealed with laughter as Wufei wrestled him to the ground, and proceeded to tickle him mercilessly on the ribs. After a fruitless struggle to escape, Fumio eventually yielded, and Wufei stood up, lightly resting one foot on Fumio's belly, raising his arms in the air, humorously declaring victory.

His victory, however, was short-lived, as Fumio suddenly rolled over; jumped up, grabbed him around the middle and the play-wrestling began all over again.

"Oh, Man!" commented Duo, raising his head from his sun-lounger and spotting the two tussling figures in the distance, "looks like they're fighting again."

Some the others looked across the lawn to observe.

"No, I think they're just horsing around Duo," replied Noin, now sat up on her sun chair, "I can hear them laughing."

Duo sat up further and listened carefully, suddenly hearing Fumio's distant belly laughs. "Oh yeah, I hear it now," he grinned, "looks like they're just having fun after all."

Quatre, Heero, and Trowa were perched on the small wall next to the rest of the group who were relaxing on a line of sun-loungers set close together.

Sally smiled, "You know, I've never seen Wufei behave like this before," she suggested, "I mean, look at him, he's like a happy little kid. I think befriending your brother Heero, is one of the best things that's happened to him in a long time."

Heero had been quietly observing them for the past few minutes. He slowly nodded in agreement.

"I agree," he spoke softly, "and I was thinking the same about Fumio too. I think his making friends with Wufei has done him a world of good. I haven't seen him behave in this way for a long time. It's nice to see."

"I guess there's not much room for that kind of fooling about in a monastery," suggested Sally.

"Actually, on the contrary, Sal, I don't think a day goes by when the monks don't end up getting involved in some kind of horse-play," he replied as he reminisced back to some of the happier times spent at the monastery. A slight grin formed on his face, "in fact, it's often the older monks who tend to initiate it more than the younger ones do."

"That surprises me Heero," said Sally, "I always thought monasteries were quiet, reserved places."

"Well they are most of the time, but these are fighting monks Sal," explained Heero, "they are entirely serious and dedicated to what they do, but I soon learned that things like regular horseplay help to maintain the balance. It contributes to the very special rapport and camaraderie that's so prevalent there and helps reinforce a feeling of family and belonging."

Trowa looked confused, "So what did you mean when you said you hadn't seen Fumio behave like this for a long time Heero?" he asked.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I just haven't seen him be quite so..." Heero paused for a moment, trying to think of the right words, "so, _boisterous_. He never really seems to fully 'let go', or laugh out so unreservedly, not like he's doing now.

"Well I think it's wonderful that they are getting on so well," added Sally.

There were nods and general mumblings of agreement from everybody.

Trowa thought more about Heero's previous comments for a moment.

"Heero?" he asked hesitantly, "you keep making detailed references to what life is like at Fumio's Monastery. So, how much time have you actually spent there?"

Heero looked expressionlessly at him. "I've been living there myself for the past six months, I moved in the day the war ended," he replied matter-of-factly.

Trowa looked surprised, as did some the others. "Oh, I see, I just thought you visited there regularly," he replied, "I didn't realise you were actually _living_ there."

"That's funny, I was under the same impression," added Hilde and Noin, almost simultaneously.

Heero looked at them, "Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't particularly matter; it's just something I couldn't imagine you doing," replied Trowa hesitantly, "I'd have thought a monastery would have been the last place you'd have chosen to live in Heero."

"I've got to admit to having the same thoughts as Trowa," observed Sally, "surely the pace of life there must be unbearable compared to what you've been used to?"

Heero leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees, thinking about his reply.

"I have to admit, at first, I wasn't too sure what I was letting myself in for," he replied, "but I had made a promise to spend some extended time with Fumio. The head monks had invited me to stay there on numerous occasions previously, so as soon as the war ended, I chose to take them up on their offer."

"So what's it like there Heero?" asked Duo.

The others all seemed to sit up and take an interest in the conversation.

"It's not like I imagined," Replied Heero, "I am welcome to come and go as I choose, provided I respect their rules, but they're actually a very easy-going people."

"Do you have to wear the clothes and do all that chanting and stuff?" joked Duo.

Heero grinned a little, shaking his head from side to side, "No Duo," he replied, "as far as they're concerned, I am there for the benefit of one of their own. I'm considered a guardian to help give him moral support while he…" Heero paused for a moment, thinking carefully about what he would say, "...while he figures out his future."

"So what are these rules that you said you have to stick to?" asked Quatre.

"It's just simple basic stuff," Replied Heero, "like not being disrespectful to others, causing arguments, or being lazy or unwilling to clean up after yourself. The rules are aimed at stopping anything that causes disharmony; that's all. Overall it's an okay place to live, and I have learned many things from the monks, many of whom I now look on as friends."

"So what do you do with yourself all day Heero?" asked Noin, "I know those guys like to spend hours and hours meditating, don't you get bored?"

Heero shook his head, "There's always plenty to do there," he replied, "at the moment I'm helping to re-paint one of the buildings, and Fumio has been teaching me some of the moves that the fighting Monks use, we enjoy practising them together in the quiet times."

As he spoke, Heero conjured up a memory in his mind of the last time they practised. It was mid-evening, the monastery was quiet, and many of the monks were meditating in the temple. He and Fumio had climbed onto the thick white stone boundary wall of the monastery, elevating them high above the thick-forested landscape below them, that continued uninterrupted into the distance, skirting the vast mountains that lay beyond. The fiery orange sun was just a few minutes from sinking down behind the horizon for the night, causing the sunset sky to be painted in the most spectacular shades of orange, red and blue imaginable.

As they both took their stances to begin to practice their moves, Heero recalled feeling a profound sense of awe and exhilaration as he soaked up the incredible masterpiece of nature set before them.

"It can be quite… _inspiring_ , at times," he suggested quietly.

"So how long do you intend to remain living there?" asked Trowa.

Heero suddenly broke from his reminiscing, "I don't know for sure, maybe another few months, maybe less, maybe more, I just don't know yet. I'll just have to see how things develop."

The giggling Orange-robed monk sat victoriously on Wufei's stomach waving his fists in the air after finally, at long last, getting him to yield. Wufei was sprawled on his back, exhausted after play-wresting with the boy for the past twenty minutes or so. He lay there for a moment; just trying to catch his breath, until he suddenly caught the faint but delectable smell of something cooking. He glanced toward the main house and could see smoke and steam rising from the barbecue.

"You hungry?" he asked his captor, still sat on his stomach.

Fumio nodded, "Starving! and really thirsty too," he replied climbing off Wufei, then reaching out a hand to help him up.

"Me too," replied Wufei getting up, accepting his help, "come on, let's eat."

Fumio nodded, and they prepared to start their walk back across the vast open lawn. After straightening their ruffled clothes and dusting the loose blades of grass off each other, they set off towards the house.

A few seconds after they began to walk, Fumio suddenly stopped, "The sword and my shoes!" he suddenly remembered, then spun around and ran back towards the tree to fetch the forgotten items.

Wufei continued walking on slowly, knowing Fumio would catch up with him, and moments later he heard from behind the soft thuds of small bare feet running on grass.

Fumio's unbroken voice called out, "Piggyback!"

Wufei turned his head just in time to see the boy leaping into the air towards him, and moments later the giggling monk landed softly on his back.

"Aren't you a little old for piggyback rides?" asked Wufei.

"Fujita-san gives them to me all the time back home at the monastery." he replied.

Wufei grinned, "Well, whatever, I don't mind," he commented, hoisting Fumio further up onto his back, securing his arms under his legs as they began the walk back across the lawn towards the house.

They were greeted with warm and friendly gestures on reaching the patio, where everyone was gathered.

After tucking into some seriously tasty refreshments, the entire group spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening playing games on the lawn and relaxing.

Everyone had gained something positive that day. For most, it was the simple benefit of just being able to relax in the warm sun and the company of loyal and trusted friends, but for some, it was a lot more.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Two O'clock in the morning, darkness all around. Heero was restlessly twitching and fidgeting in his sleep, his head moving around feverishly as the disjointed and disturbing images flashed randomly over and over again in his mind. Violent explosions, the sound of gunfire nearby, voices crying out in pain, a surreal sense of death and destruction at every turn, with no way out.

Burning fires, their searing, suffocating heat clawing at his flesh as he silently observed the sheer living hell in which he seemed totally immersed.

A blinding flash of light, another massive explosion, the rumbling vibrations knocking the air from his lungs as the crashing sounds of smashing glass came at him from every direction.

"Uuhhhh!" Heero yelled out, sitting bolt upright in his bed, his eyes wide open. He was gasping to catch his breath, sweat weeping down his face, his damp hair matted, and stuck to his forehead and temples.

The explosions and sounds were still deafening and echoed all around him. He could feel the vibrations through the bed's mattress. He held still for a few heart-stopping seconds trying to figure out what was going on as the loud rumbles faded.

Suddenly, the whole room illuminated with another flash of light from outside the window and Heero quickly calmed down, realising he'd just awoken from a dream during a thunderstorm.

He sighed with relief as he realised the terrible images he was witnessing moments earlier were only a product of his imagination; or were they?

He suddenly thought back to the sound of breaking glass. "Did I dream that?" he thought to himself, "No, that was real!" He was certain.

His heart quickened again at the realisation he'd actually been woken by the sound of breaking glass.

Feeling an urgent need to investigate, Heero quickly got out of bed and headed for the door. He was already dressed, a habit he'd still found too difficult to abandon, he only needed to slip on his boots as he passed the foot of the bed.

On opening his room door, he peered cautiously into the corridor. Simultaneously, Wufei was stepping out from his own room two doors down. His face too etched with a cautious curiosity just like Heero's.

"Wufei?" called Heero quietly, so as not to wake the others.

Wufei saw him and walked over. "I thought I heard something breaking," he whispered uneasily in a hushed voice, "you think it could be burglars?"

"I don't know," whispered Heero, "but if it is, they've _definitely_ picked the wrong house tonight."

"It sounded close-by," suggested Wufei. Heero nodded, agreeing.

Simultaneously, they both turned to face the door of the room nestled between their rooms. It was Fumio's room.

"I think it came from in there," suggested Wufei.

Heero nodded, and they both approached the door a little apprehensive of what they might find behind it.

Heero knocked quietly three times. "Fumio? You okay?" he called softly. There was no response.

He silently turned the handle and cracked open the door, peering into the room. It was dark, too dark to see, so he stepped inside and flicked on the main light switch.

Fumio was nowhere to be seen. His bed had been slept in but was empty; the covers were thrown off to one side. Wufei followed him into the room and saw Heero suddenly begin to search the corners and hiding places of the room with a great urgency.

"Fumio?" he called out, hastily pacing over to the wardrobe and opening it. It was empty. "Fumio? where are you?" Heero called again, scanning his eyes urgently all over the room, his voice anxious and concerned.

"Heero, look!" said Wufei pointing to the half-open curtain being disturbed by the gusting breeze buffeting through it.

They hurried over to the window. It was a non-opening type, leaded with small rectangular panes of glass inset. Heero quickly yanked the curtain fully open.

They both gasped with astonishment as they realised that one whole corner of the window had been forcibly bent outwards. Several panes of glass had been smashed and a segment of the lower window frame was missing. The leaded beams had been pushed with such force that they had bent outwards leaving a gap just large enough for a small person to climb through.

"Oh crap!" gasped Heero holding his hands on either side of his head, his voice in a panic, "Not again!"

He quickly pressed his face up against the intact part of the window and looked out into the rainy night, but it was too dark. He could see very little.

Wufei stared at him; his faced etched with a thousand questions.

Suddenly Heero took to his heels, bolting for the door, running down the stairs and aiming toward the rear of the house. Wufei followed close behind.

Moments later the mansion's exterior lights were activated and the rear kitchen door burst open. The two pilots emerged into the heavy rainstorm and ran across the wet patio to the area directly below Fumio's first-floor window. Several large shards of glass and a chunk of window frame lay broken on the ground.

Heero's breath quickened, his face etched with alarm at what he saw next; Some of the glass was heavily smeared with blood. Small crimson pools and splatters lay all around the debris, slowly dissolving into the puddle-soaked patio. The two pilots looked at each other in silent horror, their soaking wet faces suddenly illuminated by a great flash of lightening followed by a deafening rumble of thunder.

Wufei crouched down to investigate further and was almost blown over by the howling wind. He quickly noticed several more spots of blood that trailed off in the direction of the lawn. Heero also spotted the trail. They both stood for a moment, looking out across the semi-illuminated lawn but could see very little.

"Fumio!?" Heero yelled out across the lawn. There was no reply. His voice was lost in the gusting wind and dampened further by the torrential rain.

"Wufei, wake Sally up!" urged Heero as he quickly began jogging out towards the darkness, briefly illuminated by another flash of lightning, "I'll start searching, join me as soon as you can."

Wufei nodded. He didn't need to be asked twice. Immediately he raced back into the house and headed for the stairs. Moments later he was banging his fist loudly on Sally's bedroom door.

"What's all the commotion about Wufei?" asked Quatre yawning tiredly, wandering up the hallway in his PJ's and dressing gown as another flash of lightening lit everything up.

Sally's door opened, and she peered out, squinting at the bright lights of the hallway. Wufei turned to them both; deep concern etched into his eyes.

"It's Fumio-chan," he gasped, in a slight panic himself, "he's missing. I'm uncertain why, but I think he's running scared."

"What!" gasped Quatre suddenly waking up fully, "how? when?"

"No time to explain," replied Wufei urgently, "we think he is injured. There is blood, lot's of blood, we have to find him, and quickly."

"Oh my God!" gasped Sally suddenly running back into her room to throw on some clothes quickly.

"Come on Wufei, we'd better wake the others," suggested Quatre. Wufei nodded, and they headed in opposite directions, running to each of the other rooms to wake the other members of the group.

Within minutes, everyone had put on outdoor clothes and were gathered in the kitchen. Quatre ran to a store cupboard to one side of the room and moments later appeared carrying some torches and two-way radios. He dumped them all on the large wooden table at the room's centre.

"Here, quickly, everyone take a flashlight," he commanded, then began turning on and testing each radio.

Wufei was looking anxious. He was hovering in the doorway, unsure whether to just run outside and start looking, or to wait for the others.

"Wufei?" asked Quatre, noting his state of unease, "do you know which direction he could have headed?"

Wufei pointed out of the open door into the darkness, "The blood appeared to trail off in the direction of the lake; I think that's where we should search."

Quatre nodded and started handing out the radios to everyone. "We should all use channel one," he suggested, "Sally, can you stay here and make whatever preparations you need to receive incoming wounded." Sally nodded in agreement.

Suddenly Quatre seemed to don his 'professional strategists' mask. He, after all, was highly trained and skilled in the subject, something all of the others had come to learn and respect immensely during the war. As he began giving out what sounded like orders, the others obeyed without question, each knowing that he was the most natural leader among them. They had all realised that if anyone was going to be able to organise the group into finding Fumio in the shortest possible time, it was Quatre. They also realised that he was the only one in the room who knew the mansion's grounds intimately.

"Sal, do you have any medical kit?" he asked.

"I'm already on it!" she called back, heading for the door, "I've got everything I need in my car, just go. I'll be ready!" her voice faded as she ran down the corridor towards the side entrance of the house.

Quatre pulled a dry-wipe marker pen from one of the kitchen drawers and began to scribble a simple map on the light-varnished table surface quickly. "Okay, this is the house, here are the grounds, the lake, the boathouse, greenhouse, maze, and the boundary wall." He drew with urgency knowing time was of the essence.

In the corner of his eye, he noticed Wufei still hovering anxiously near the door, seeming desperate to get out and start searching, but hesitant to do so.

"Wufei, please look at this!" demanded Quatre, his voice urgent and authoritative. It was exactly what was needed to give Wufei something to re-focus. He immediately broke from his troubled state and hurried over to the table.

Quatre gently touched Wufei's elbow in a reassuring gesture. "Thirty seconds spent here will save us vital minutes out there," he spoke softly.

Wufei nodded, understanding Quatre's gesture, suddenly feeling an immense appreciation and gratefulness for his calm and collected approach. It reminded him of the many reasons why he had gained so much respect for the Arabian boy throughout the war, after he had realised it was always Quatre's level-headedness, his warm and gentle voice of reason that consistently shone through, during those times of great madness.

Quatre quickly drew some more lines onto the map, cutting it into searchable sections, concentrating mainly on the lake area.

He looked up at the others and addressed them, speaking quickly and precisely.

"Guys, with the radios, we can search individually and get more ground covered. If you locate him, get straight on to the radio for backup. We don't know exactly why he's out there, but from what Wufei described, and because he's injured, I'm guessing he's running on adrenaline. So, bearing in mind his highly trained fighting skills, use caution in your approach. If you are in any doubt about approaching him, if he looks like he's ready to take flight again, or you suspect his state of mind will cause him to see you as a threat, then do not even approach him until backup arrives." There was a general nodding of heads from the rest of the group.

"Trowa, you take this area," he pointed to a section of the map, "be sure to check behind the outbuilding there too."

Trowa nodded, "Got it."

Quatre handed him a radio, "Go now, good luck."

Trowa nodded and hurried out of the back door, disappearing off to the left of the building.

"Duo, you should take this area..."

One by one, and in an incredibly short amount of time, Quatre had organised the group to cover the entire grounds. He was the last one to leave, his first place to search being the garden maze, as he was the only one who knew how to get in and out of it speedily.

Sweeping torchlight beams shone all around in the heavy wind and rain. In every part of the Winner Mansion grounds, the worried group searched for the young monk, calling out his name in the hope that he would reply, but it was to no avail.

Heero had searched everywhere around the lake and boathouse where he was sure Fumio would be, but with no luck, his inner panic was growing, knowing his brother could be bleeding to death. He stood at the end of the long lawn thinking for a moment. He was soaked to the skin, and the blustery wind was chilling him to the bone. He had gooseflesh on his arms and legs, and icy shivers constantly ran down his spine, but he was too worried to care.

"Come on Heero, think!" he muttered to himself, trying to see the situation as if he was the one doing the running.

He tried to project his mind into Fumio's mind, trying to incorporate all of their Gundam training, self-preservation skills and combat training into the equation.

He closed his eyes, concentrating hard. "I'm on the run… I don't want to get caught… I break out through the window…" he began rubbing his temples trying to concentrate harder. "I see there's my blood. I don't want my enemy to follow me, so I must mislead my enemy into believing…"

He opened his eyes, "That's it!" he gasped, suddenly making a bolt towards the house.

Some thirty seconds later Heero had run past the main house and was heading down the sweeping white gravel drive towards the main entrance gate. Not more than about twenty paces from the gate, a flashlight beam suddenly shone in his face.

"Heero?" came an inquisitive voice.

"Wufei?" he panted, slightly out of breath from his run, shielding his eyes from the bright light.

Wufei quickly redirected the beam away. He had been searching the hedges running along the front boundary wall but had found no clues.

Heero approached him, and urgently started explaining the theory he had come up with, continuously fighting to make his voice heard over the noise of the rumbling thunder, wind and heavy rain.

"Wufei, I think he might have left the grounds!" He yelled, pointing to the main gates.

"How do you know that?"

"The blood! The trail of blood pointing towards the lake," replied Heero, "I think it was a decoy, he used it to throw us off his trail."

"But why would he do that?" shouted Wufei, sounding puzzled.

"I don't have time to explain," replied Heero, yelling his reply, "but I think that his self-preservation instincts have kicked in. Nine years of Gundam training means that his idea of self-preservation is being in enemy territory and needing to get away at all costs," he continued, still shouting to make himself heard over the wind and rain which seemed to be getting louder.

"Quickly Wufei, help me search the main gate!"

Wufei agreed. They hurriedly made their way to the large iron front entrance gates and began searching for signs or clues to validate Heero's theory.

Suddenly, Wufei's torch beam came to a halt on one of the upright bars.

"Heero, Look!" he yelled, his voice almost being drowned out by a particularly loud clap of thunder.

They both peered at the bar. It was coated with blood.

"Oh crap! that's a lot of blood!" gasped Heero, "he must have climbed through here, come on, we have to go after him!"

The vertical bars on the gate were just too small for them to climb between, so they hurried to the service entrance, a small wrought iron gate set into one of the main stone turrets.

Moments later they were on the other side of the gate standing on the forested country road that serviced the mansion. Wufei handed Heero the torch suggesting he looked for a clue to see which direction Fumio might have taken, while he got on the radio to inform the others.

"This is Wufei. We've found blood on the main entrance gate. We think he has gone outside of the grounds," he yelled into the handset. "we could use some help out here, and can someone get the main gates open?"

The radio crackled for a moment, then a few seconds later there came a reply.

"This is Quatre. I'm near the house; I'll take care of the gates, stand-by."

Then came another response, "This is Hilde, I've just met up with Trowa. We're on our way, ETA about two minutes."

Suddenly, a soft beeping could be heard, then, the two bright lights sat on top of each gate turret illuminated the grounds inside. There was a loud, 'unlocking clunk' as the massive main gates began to swing open automatically. Quatre had apparently activated the main switch from inside the house.

More voices came back over the radio confirming they could be at the main gates within minutes.

Sally's voice came on, "This is Sally. I've got the med kit and blankets standing by. I've set up in the kitchen area. Let me know as soon as you find him and I'll head out to meet you with a stretcher."

"Wufei, there!" Suddenly yelled Heero, pointing to more spots of blood on the road surface which led into the thick green vegetation of the forest on the opposite side of the road.

They ran to the edge of the woods. The foliage and shrubs were immensely dense and overgrown making the idea of a search almost impossible.

"Damn, how the hell are we going to find him in this?" gasped Heero, his voice beginning to get anxious again.

Suddenly they heard running footsteps behind them. They both span round. Heero shone the torch towards the sound. Noin and Duo came running through the gates and stood in the road.

"Any luck guys?" called Duo, shielding his eyes from Heero's torchlight.

"Damn! I thought you were him," remarked Heero, his voice drowned out by the sounds of the wind-driven rain hitting the canopy of trees above them.

"We think he's in here somewhere." called Wufei, pointing towards the thick forest, "it's very dense, we were trying to figure out how we're going to search it."

"Well, it looks like we'll just have to wade in and do it the old fashioned way!" suggested Duo donning his 'never give up' mask, "come on, there's no time to waste."

They all spread out and began the search again. Wufei had teamed up with Heero as they only had one torch between them. A few minutes later the rest of the group had joined in.

Everyone continuously called out Fumio's name as they searched, but after twenty minutes the situation was beginning to feel more and more desperate. The voices calling out started to sound progressively more anxious as the time moved on. Still they searched on, not knowing what else they could do.

The group was spreading apart further trying to cover the most area in the shortest time. The calling voices of the others were becoming more distant as they ventured further from each other's locations.

The rain was relentless. Everyone was soaked to the skin. The wind gusted through the trees with howling force hampering the search effort.

The thunder and lightening showed no signs of giving up, but the continuing flashes of lightning periodically illuminated their way.

Heero looked jadedly at Wufei, the rain washing down his face, dripping off his nose and chin.

"This is hopeless!" he yelled through the wind and rain, his voice sounding desperate, "there has to be another way, we'll never find him like this!"

Wufei sensed the despair in his voice, "No! We must just keep looking Heero," he shouted in reply, squeezing a hand onto his shoulder "we can't give up!"

Heero sighed and nodded, "Okay, I think we should try going this way," he pointed with his torch to an unsearched area of the undergrowth deeper into the woodland. Wufei nodded, agreeing and they changed course, heading over towards the area.

A few minutes later, Wufei suddenly stopped. Heero looked back and noticed him, "What is it?" he shouted over another rumble of thunder.

"I'm not sure," yelled Wufei back, scanning the area with his eyes. He had suddenly felt an odd sensation within his own mind, and was suddenly compelled to remember the feelings he had experienced earlier that day, where he had sensed the two wild deer in the field.

Feeling a need to investigate further, Wufei closed his eyes and tried to focus in on whatever he had just felt. He instinctively found himself looking downwards and pointing his palms towards the ground.

Heero could see he was obviously trying to concentrate on something, "Maybe he heard something," he thought silently to himself.

Wufei remained completely still, but after some fifteen seconds, Heero began to grow impatient.

"Wufei? What are you doing?!" he yelled.

"Just wait!" shouted Wufei back, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

Heero, reluctantly stopped talking and watched Wufei silently, still unsure what he was doing.

Wufei took a deep breath, trying with all his mental power to focus in on whatever it was he had just felt. "Was that just my imagination?" he thought silently to himself, "no, it was more than that." He tried focusing some more.

As another flash of lightening lit up the forest, Wufei suddenly opened his eyes and looked straight at Heero, seeming startled.

"Heero, quickly, Give me the flashlight!" He called, reaching out his hand.

Without question, Heero quickly gave him the torch.

Wufei immediately began heading off to an area not far from where they had already searched. Heero looked a little confused, but he could see the Shenlong pilot was on to something, so he followed without further question.

After about a minute of picking their way through the undergrowth, Wufei began to increase the pace. Like a bloodhound picking up a scent, he firstly broke into a trot, then, as the feelings within his mind began to grow stronger, he started to run.

A couple of minutes later, they came to a halt in front of some tall, thick shrubs nestled around a large clump of trees.

"Fumio!" he called loudly, but there was still no reply.

"Heero, help me search here!" Wufei yelled.

Heero looked strangely at his fellow pilot for a moment, then figuring they had nothing to lose, he began quickly peering into various parts of the large bushes and undergrowth. Wufei did the same, shining the torch into the depths of the foliage.

Suddenly Wufei jumped, lurching backwards slightly, startled.

Staring back at him through the torchlight was a pair of wide-open, terrified eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Fumio!" gasped Wufei in a shocked tone, hastily crouching down and grabbing his shoulder, "Fumio, are you alright?"

There was no response, Wufei called again, shaking his shoulder, but still with no success. "Heero! over here," he called, feeling his heart quicken.

The young fighting monk was kneeling on the ground, just staring blankly ahead, shivering feverishly, a combination of the cold and shock. Fumio's rain-soaked face was smeared with blood and dirt, as were his clothes; the white cotton pyjamas he'd been wearing in bed before his sudden compulsion to flee. His breathing was panicked; panting and trembling, and the look in his wide-open staring eyes was that of complete terror.

The boy was soaked through to the skin. Wufei, now feeling a mild sense of relief, quickly scanned the torch over Fumio's body to search for injuries.

"The blood had to come from somewhere," he thought to himself.

He didn't search for long before he noticed the entire sleeve of Fumio's right arm was completely red with blood. The thick liquid was trickling down his arm and dripping off his hand, forming a dark red puddle beneath him on the earthy forest floor. It looked serious.

Heero appeared and urgently, almost violently snapped away some of the intruding foliage.

"Fumio!" he gasped, dropping to his knees in front of the terrified boy. He quickly reached forwards and held him firmly, "it's okay, you're safe now, everything's going to be fine," he reassured him.

Oh hearing his brother's voice, Fumio seemed to snap out of his trance-like state. He looked straight at Heero as if suddenly waking from a nightmare. The look of terror increased on his face as he began to feel a huge sense of disorientation and panic.

"Heer, Heer! Heero!" he stammered, desperately needing to communicate with Heero, but he was shaking and trembling to the point where it was affecting his breathing too much, and it just made him start coughing.

"Shhh!" replied Heero, still holding him reassuringly, "Don't try to speak, just try to calm down, he reassured, trying to muster the most soothing voice he could.

Wufei stood up and pulled off his jersey. He gave it to Heero, instructing him to wrap it around the wound on Fumio's arm. Heero complied as Wufei called it in on the radio.

"This is Wufei and Heero. We've found him!"

When Heero had roughly bandaged the wound on Fumio's arm, he scooped him up in his arms and stood up, carrying the injured boy.

"Tell them we're heading back right now," he informed Wufei as he began carefully negotiating his way back through the undergrowth towards the road. "Tell Sally we could use the stretcher and we'll meet her on the way."

Within a few minutes, they'd arrived back at the mansion in the kitchen area. Fumio was quickly wrapped in a blanket and perched on the table where Sally proceeded to check the large wound on his right arm hastily. Despite there being a huge sense of relief that he'd been found, the rest of the group stood nearby, looking on anxiously.

He was still panting and shivering badly, still feeling very disorientated and panicked, but he was putting on a brave face. As Sally unwrapped Wufei's blood-soaked jumper from the cut arm, she knew it wasn't going to be a pretty site. She got Noin to sit next to Fumio on the table and cradle his head against her shoulder, encouraging him to look away.

After examining and cleaning the wound up a little, Sally seemed to sigh with relief. "Well, it's quite a big cut, but he's missed the main artery and nerves," she assured, not speaking to anyone in particular. "Looks like you're going to be just fine Fumio," she smiled him one of her compassionate smiles. "I've got some special skin-stitching tape that will take care of this. A couple of bandages and a warm bath, you'll be as good as new."

There were audible sighs of relief from the group, most of whom were shivering from their cold, rain-soaked clothes.

Noin could feel Fumio's teeth chattering from where she had her hand cradled against his face.

"You got any heating in here Quatre?" asked Heero, seeing his brother's chattering teeth.

Quatre walked around the large kitchen table and ignited the big, stainless steel oven, leaving the door open, causing a welcoming heat to radiate into the room quickly. Several members of the group moved closer to it to warm themselves.

As he began to calm down and regain his bearings, Fumio could feel his nerve starting to slip. He knew he wasn't going to be able to keep up the brave face for much longer as he began to become overwhelmed with anxiety about what had just happened. His eyes began to glaze.

Sally could sense he was starting to lose it,

"Guy's, could you give us some privacy here?" she asked, "I'm pretty sure having a gawking audience is not making this any easier," she looked at him, giving him a reassuring smile.

Fumio stared up at her and nodded appreciatively; his big cobalt blue eyes became more glazed.

Everyone took the hint and began filtering out of the door and towards the main hallway, leaving only Sally and Noin in the room to help the young monk with his injuries.

Before he left, Heero stood in front of his brother and looked him in the eye. He briefly cupped his hand on Fumio's dirty face, "Don't worry," he suggested, hinting a slight smile, doing his best to reassure him, "you're gonna be just fine, okay?"

Fumio nodded silently, still looking anxious. Heero broke away and headed for the door.

He entered the corridor and caught up with the others, who were all standing around in the entrance hall at the bottom of the stairs, looking a little numb, all still cold and dripping wet.

All eyes looked his way. Duo was the first to comment.

"Heero, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, I mean, I'm totally relieved that he's safe, but what happened? what was this all about?" His voice sounded tired and troubled. The rest of the group remained silent, listening for some response from Heero.

Heero seemed to ponder a reply but was reluctant to speak. He gave a sigh as he began heading towards the foot of the stairs.

"The only thing I want to do right now, is get out of these wet clothes," he replied dryly, deliberately avoiding Duo's question.

He started to climb the stairs. The others watched him in silence. They were keen for an explanation, but could see he was looking deeply troubled, so accepted that it probably wasn't the best time to push for answers.

A few steps up, Heero stopped. He cast his eyes back towards the group who were all looking up at him. He sighed heavily.

"Thanks for your help, I'm glad you guys were here." His voice sounded tired, but genuinely appreciative. There were subtle nods in response.

As he stood there, a quiet, child-like sob echoed down the corridor from the open kitchen door as Fumio began to cry, followed by sounds of Sally and Noin doing their best to comfort the traumatised boy. Many of the group cast saddened eyes towards the kitchen.

"Damn!" uttered Heero quietly to himself, as he hastily began to ascend the stairs and head for his room.

"I guess the rest of us should also change out of these wet clothes," suggested Quatre, his teeth now chattering with the cold, "we can talk about it in the morning?"

"Well, I don't know about you guys," remarked Wufei, "but I'll not be able to sleep anymore tonight, think I'll just stay up for now."

"I'll be doing the same," suggested Trowa, "I'm not afraid to admit, my hands are still shaking, so I've got no chance of sleeping."

"Mine too," observed Duo, holding his slightly trembling hand out in front of him, "looks like we're still running on adrenaline," he suggested, "it's been a while since I felt like this. I used to get it a lot after battles."

"Tell you what then," spoke Quatre, shifting the subject, "I'll prepare some hot drinks for anyone who doesn't want to go back to bed. Just let me dry off and get a change of clothes."

There was a general agreement, and words of thanks as people dispersed back to their rooms.

It was over an hour later when Hilde emerged from her room. She had managed to alleviate feeling so cold by soaking in a hot bath for a while. She realised that Heero had seemed disturbed and upset by the events of earlier, so she made a point of checking in on him on her way downstairs. She knocked quietly on his door, knowing it was unlikely he would be sleeping.

"What is it?" came the muted reply.

"It's Hilde Heero, can I come in for a minute?" she replied gently.

There was a pause,

"Uh-huh."

Hilde gingerly opened the door.

It was dark. Only a small table lamp illuminated the far side of the room. Hilde scanned her eyes around trying to adjust them to the low light. Eventually, she spotted Heero sat on the floor leaning back against the wall beneath one of the large windows. He was staring blankly ahead obviously mulling over the many thoughts going through his mind.

She closed the door behind her and walked over.

"Oh Heero," she sighed compassionately, crouching down right beside him, looking into his slightly reddened eyes.

"What's up Hilde?" he asked in a whispered voice.

She said nothing but looked at him with a kind-hearted expression. Then she leant in, reaching both her arms around him to give him a heartfelt hug.

"Everything's going to be all right," she whispered, trying to reassure him.

Her caring gesture fell straight onto his saddened heart. He returned the hug, wrapping his arms firmly around her, pressing his chin into her shoulder and closing his eyes.

She sighed sympathetically, "I realise you're upset Heero, but it's okay, really," she assured.

He cleared his throat, "Oh, I'm all right," he replied, his voice sounding quiet, and a little croaky, "I'm just frustrated, that's all. I feel so helpless to do anything."

They gently broke from their embrace, and Hilde sat on the floor right next to him so they could talk. She snuggled up to him, taking his arm under hers, holding on to his hand in a reassuring gesture.

"So how often does this happen?" she asked, realising this couldn't have been the first time.

Heero sighed, "It's happened a couple of times in the past few months, but, it's never been as bad as today," he replied, his voice sounding troubled, "it's never got this serious before."

Hilde nodded. She had suspected as much. She looked compassionately into his eyes, "You're really close to him, aren't you," she asked rhetorically, her voice whispered, "even though you'd have us believe otherwise, I can still see it Heero, it's as plain as the nose on your face."

Heero looked towards the ground and nodded reluctantly. "We've been through so much together, how can we not be close?"

"I understand how frustrating this must be for the both of you," she added.

Heero sighed and nodded again, "How do you fight an enemy you can't see?" he asked, his voice sounding saddened and defeated, "it terrifies him, Hilde, it absolutely terrifies him, and there's not a damn thing I or anyone else can seem to do about it."

Hilde listened sympathetically.

"He was out there today, he must have felt so alone," he gasped, "it's what he fears the most, being alone whenever it happens."

He turned his head and looked at her. She could see the torment in his saddened eyes.

"Hilde, I don't know what to do," he said in a whisper, his voice barely audible, "I just don't know what to do!"

Hilde nodded, empathising with his frustrations. "Listen to me Heero," she said, holding his hand firmly, "there is a way to deal with this, there has to be. Out there, somewhere, there is an answer, a solution." she assured, borrowing Duo's 'never give up' mask. "and after seeing what happened here tonight, I don't think anyone in this building can rest another moment until we can find that solution."

Heero looked at her, feeling a little uncomfortable about the idea of anyone else getting involved.

"I'm not sure about that," he replied, mulling the proposal over in his mind, "this is a private matter, I don't want everyone getting involved in this."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The fewer people who know about this, the easier it will be on Fumio. I know I certainly wouldn't want my personal problems discussed by a bunch of what are essentially strangers."

"Heero, get real!" said Hilde firmly, sounding somewhat irritated by his words. "Just look at the resources you have at your disposal right here, right now, in this very building!" her voice remained firm, but compassionate.

"There are many highly trained people under this roof right now who are vastly skilled and experienced to an elite level. They have unique intelligence resources and access to facilities the average citizen doesn't even know exists. Most of them will have built up favours they can call in at any time. You need answers Heero, and these guys are in a position to help you get those answers. You'll be doing Fumio a great disservice to turn your nose up at such a wealth of resources that could potentially help him!"

He listened carefully. He realised Hilde's argument was as valid, as it was wise.

"It would be cruel and unfair of you to pass up an opportunity like this Heero." she added, now almost pleading with him, "asking for help is never a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. You mustn't be afraid to ask for help Heero, for Fumio's sake, you have to let go of your doubts and trust us all to help you."

He continued to hear her out but was still looking undecided.

"And so what!" she continued in a more stern voice, "so what if Fumio's problems get discussed by the rest of the group. What? You think we're going to poke fun at him or something? or that he'll become the focus of our ridicule?" She paused, sighing, suddenly her voice changed to a much calmer tone. "We've only known Fumio-chan for a couple of days, and he's already won his way into all of our hearts, everyone adores him, we could never do anything that would cause him distress or harm like that, surely you can see that Heero?"

Heero nodded subtly, reluctantly, continuing to listen to Hilde's very convincing argument. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel that she'd just given him a well-deserved kick in the backside and woken him from his complacency.

"The truth is Heero, I think everyone is as concerned about what they saw tonight as you are, and I know they will all want to help. In fact, they'll probably insist on it."

"Okay! you're right!" he replied positively, showing a renewed sense of energy.

"You're right, I should, and I will ask for help, and yes, perhaps I should have done it a lot sooner," he reluctantly admitted.

Hilde squeezed his arm again, laying her head gently on his shoulder.

"You're making the right choice Heero," she replied reassuringly, "unquestionably the right choice."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Hilde stayed with Heero a while longer before heading off downstairs.

Heero then finally took a shower and found himself some dry clothes, simultaneously allowing himself more time to reflect on what had happened that night, and how he was going to approach the others in his quest for help.

Half an hour later, he made his way back downstairs.

It was just after five-thirty in the morning and was getting light outside. The terrible thunderstorm from earlier had cleared and another fine day looked to be on its way. Heero could hear talking voices coming from the lounge, so he quietly opened the door and walked in.

Most of the group were there, sat around on several of the large sofas, quietly discussing the unfortunate events of the previous night. The only people missing were Sally and Quatre.

"Hey Heero," came the subdued, almost sombre greetings in staggered unison from most in the room.

"You okay Heero?" asked Noin, her tone suggesting a sympathetic concern.

Heero looked back at Noin and nodded appreciatively, noticing Fumio laying on the sofa beside her with his head resting in her lap. He was fast asleep.

Saying nothing, Heero silently walked over and crouched down beside his kid brother, checking on his status.

Fumio had obviously taken a bath or shower and looked a lot more comfortable. He was wearing warm, dry clothes in the form of a grey fleece hoodie, soft dark blue cotton jogging bottoms and thick white cotton socks.

His right forearm was bandaged neatly from wrist to elbow, and he bore some small, rather sore-looking scratches across his other arm and in several places across his face and neck.

Noin was affectionately caressing her fingers through his soft cropped hair as he slept.

"How is he?" asked Heero quietly.

"Physically, Sal says he's going to be just fine, though she suggested he might be left with a bit of a scar on his arm," she replied in a whispered voice, "but psychologically..." she shrugged, implying an unknown element.

Heero was hoping for a more positive answer but was grateful for the truth.

He looked down again at the sleeping boy for a few contemplative moments. "Thanks for looking after him Noin, it's appreciated," he spoke quietly. She nodded.

Where's Sally, by the way?" he asked gently, scanning his eyes around the room, "I must thank her too."

"Sal went back to bed for a few hours," replied Wufei.

"Yeah she looked so tired and stressed," added Duo.

"We all suggested she went back to bed earlier, but she was very reluctant," added Noin, "she wanted to keep an eye on Fumio, for at least a few more hours."

"The only way we could persuade her to go, was by promising we'd all keep an eye on him ourselves," added Wufei, "and that we'd wake her if there were any change in his condition."

Heero listened, nodding appreciatively.

Suddenly, the side door of the room opened, and Quatre stepped through carrying a tray of hot drinks.

"Oh, Hey Heero," he greeted, also in a relatively sombre voice, "you okay?" he asked concernedly.

Heero nodded, "I'm fine Quatre, thanks."

"There's a tea here for you," he said, placing the tray on a table in the centre of the room, "just help yourselves guys."

Quatre was acknowledged with several nods of appreciation and thanks.

"So, Heero," said Duo reaching forward and taking a drink from the tray, "you wanna tell us what happened here tonight? maybe throw some light on why we're all sat here drinking tea at first-light?"

Heero took a final look down at Fumio and after seeming satisfied the boy was okay, he stood up and wandered over to one of the three-seat sofas. He sat down next to Quatre, reached forward and picked up a mug of tea.

"It's hard to know where to begin with this," he commented, his voice sounding tired and troubled. He cupped his hands around his mug of tea.

"What happened tonight is something I was hoping wouldn't occur at all," he said hesitantly, "I didn't want or intend for you guys to see this side of him."

"You mean this has happened before?" asked Noin.

Heero Nodded, "What you saw tonight, well, it's been a problem for Fumio ever since he left the foundation, but over the past few months, these… incidents have been getting worse. They've become more intense and more frequent. Tonight was the worst I've ever seen it," he hesitated, "I'm just extremely grateful you guys were around to help."

Suddenly Heero thought back to the highly unlikely way in which Wufei had located where Fumio was hiding. With everything that had happened, he hadn't had time to give it any thought.

He looked up at the Shenlong pilot with a 'pondering' expression. Wufei stared back, but nothing was said.

"How did he know?" Heero thought silently to himself. "We were too far away to hear any sounds from that area. Was it luck? Maybe some kind of wild hunch? No! He was way too specific!"

Heero felt compelled to remember back to earlier the previous day when Wufei had emerged from the building smiling like a Cheshire cat after doing the Samurai Meditation Ritual with Fumio. He recollected believing then that Fumio's gifts had influenced him somehow.

Suddenly a theory popped into his mind. "Fumio's gifts must have seen this coming," he thought silently to himself, "in some way they must have given Wufei the power to be able to find him."

He remained in eye contact with Wufei for a moment. Wufei was pretty sure he knew what Heero was thinking about, and he began to grow concerned that he would ask him about it in front of the others. It was a prospect he was not keen on discussing openly. Very subtly, Wufei began moving his head from side to side, hinting to Heero not to say anything, but he was already safe. Heero knew he could not bring up the subject and risk Fumio's gifts being discovered.

Eventually, Trowa spoke up, breaking the quiet. "So what are we dealing with here Heero? what caused him to run in the first place?"

Heero sighed and began his slightly reluctant explanation.

"Fumio has these, conditioned responses. They've been gradually programmed into him from day one of the Gundam training program."

"But why on earth would anyone do that to him?" asked Hilde sounding quite annoyed, "what possible use could they be?"

"These responses enable basic self-preservation. They were designed to be a last resort 'fall-back plan' which could allow him to get away safely in a life-or-death situation," Heero replied, "I too have been conditioned with these same responses."

"But what's happening to Fumio, isn't it happening to you?" asked Quatre.

Heero shook his head, "No, but I completed the whole training program, Fumio did not. I have full control over these abilities and can consciously engage them at will, in any circumstances where I feel they are needed. Fumio also can engage them at will, but with him, they've also started to 'kick in' at other times when he doesn't want or need them, like tonight for example."

Heero sighed again suddenly looking quite worried. "Going on past events, he shouldn't have been due another occurrence like that for at least a month or so."

Everyone listened in silence.

"Do you remember when I told you guys about him turning into a bag of nerves every time he heard a sudden loud noise like a door slamming or a dropped object, and that sometimes he'd end up cowering in a corner somewhere?"

Heads quietly nodded.

"Well, we think that was the start of it. Every time these instincts have kicked in, they have always been triggered either by a sudden loud noise, or something that has caused him to be momentarily startled. I can only guess that it must have been the thunder last night, although thunder has never bothered him before."

Quatre sat forward, "But Heero, I remember you said that he got put through that re-integration program," he commented, "you know, where they taught him to switch off his soldier instincts. So what went wrong?"

Heero took a sip of tea, then cupped his hands back around his mug. "It was the fact that Fumio did not complete the training program that has ultimately caused these problems. The program was so sophisticated in its design, that no one could honestly predict the consequences of someone dropping out two-thirds of the way through. It wasn't anticipated or expected, and so it wasn't accounted for."

Duo suddenly thumped his fist into his other hand. He'd quietly been getting more and more annoyed as Heero explained the situation, unravelling the complex plot.

"That damn foundation again! Those bastards!" he growled, "so they're not just content with terrorising little kids in the short-term, they have to prolong the agony by screwing with their minds for the long-term too?"

"Hey, come on, calm down Duo!" demanded Wufei, "believe me when I say that none of us are happy about this, but getting all beaten up about it is not going to help anyone."

Duo sighed, "You're right I guess," he said, his voice calming down for a moment, "but you'd better make damn sure I don't meet up with any of these foundation people, because I guarantee you, I will not be held responsible for my actions."

"I suspect you're not the only one to be thinking like that Duo," suggested Quatre, "but Wufei's right; we have to be constructive here. We can't let this become an issue about revenge; we have to stay focused. This is about trying to put an end to Fumio's suffering." Quatre pointed across to the sleeping youngster, now curled up on his side, still with his head resting on Noin's lap.

Duo took a breath and sighed heavily, nodding again, "I'm sorry Guys, I'm just finding this whole thing so maddening. Sorry, I interrupted Heero, please go on."

Heero nodded at Duo, in an understanding way. He took another sip of tea from his mug.

"There is a monk at Fumio's monastery, Lama Banai, a very knowledgeable and wise man, who's been trying for the past year to find a solution to the problem. He has specialised knowledge in this subject area and has been working closely with Fumio to try to help him switch off these troublesome instincts."

"Do you know what methods he's used so far?" asked Quatre, sitting forward in his seat.

Heero didn't know too much of the finer details, but he began to describe everything that he did know and had witnessed.

Quatre listened carefully nodding his head slightly. "Hmm, yes, the Lama definitely knows his stuff," he commented.

Heero nodded, "I know you have knowledge and qualifications in this field too Quatre," he said, "That's why we were going to have that conversation about it. I just didn't anticipate us having it so soon, or with everyone else as well."

Quatre nodded, confirming Heero's comments, "You're right, I do have some psychology qualifications, but I'm afraid to say Heero, that I think this man at the monastery, Lama Banai was it?"

Heero nodded.

"Well, it sounds like he's tried everything that I would try, and more. I don't think there's anything else that I can suggest that hasn't already been tried. I'm really sorry Heero, but I believe this requires a more specialised solution beyond the scope of my training."

Heero looked a little disappointed, but not surprised. He had suspected this was likely to have been the case.

"Two weeks ago, Lama Banai approached me and regretfully informed me that he had exhausted all avenues of investigation open to him and that he was unable to progress any further," said Heero, his voice sounding sullen again. "He has concluded that the original training program was so complicated and sophisticated, the only hope to ever reverse its effects on Fumio would be to locate the actual blueprints of the original training formula, and then completely re-write a new 'reversal' program from scratch, using the blueprints as the key."

Heero took another sip from his tea, then continued, "If we can locate, and get the original training program designs to Lama Banai, he says he can probably have Fumio cured within as little as a few months," he said, suddenly sounding more optimistic again. "The only problem is, the re-integration facility was destroyed within a few of weeks of Operation Meteor starting." He sighed again, "Since learning this information, I've tried every trick in the book to track down these blueprints, but have drawn a blank every time. They would have been top-secret documents, so my guess is, there wouldn't have been more than one or two copies in existence. My fear now is that they may have been permanently lost to us."

His voiced sounded disheartened, "This is the very reason that Fumio has come here. Having pretty much given up on finding the blueprints, we have to do the next best thing and look for an alternative solution." He leant forward in his chair, putting his drink down on the table, then began nervously rubbing his hands together. "I'm afraid to say this, but, probably for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm out of options, I'm at a loss on how to proceed or what to do next.

I could really use some help with this one guys," his voice was unusual, nervous, almost displaying a hint of fear.

The intimate gathering of friends all responded by sitting forward in their seats.

"Well, this is what friends are for Heero," said Quatre, almost cheerfully, "you already know I'll do everything I possibly can to help you, whatever it takes." he pledged.

"You must count me in too Heero," said Wufei.

"Heck! do we even need to say it?" chirped Duo, "we're all in, of course we are! We have been right from the start. We can't just sit by and do nothing, of course we're in Heero."

There was an enthusiastic nodding of heads from all around the room from everyone agreeing with Duo's words.

Heero wasn't sure how to react, though he felt encouraged. He nodded in obvious appreciation. "I'm not sure what to say, but I am grateful," he replied, "extremely grateful."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

For the next hour, at the request of the group, Heero went over the finer details of both his and Fumio's past. Dates, times, places, names, absolutely anything that could help in their quest to locate the original blueprints to Fumio's training program. Noin, in particular, seemed optimistic about there still being a chance of tracking them down. As Heero described some of the places and names, she kept making references of familiarity.

The same time as Quatre entered the room carrying their third tray of hot drinks that morning, the main room door opened, and Sally appeared.

"Morning everyone, again!" she said tiredly, in light humour. There were nods and subdued words of greeting.

"Did you managed to get some more sleep Sal?" asked Wufei.

Sally nodded, yawning. Quatre put the tray back down on the table and headed straight back out of the side door. Less than a minute later, he appeared again carrying a strong black coffee and handed it to her.

She nodded in obvious appreciation, "Looks like I've got you well trained," she grinned tiredly, "thanks, Cat."

Quatre smiled and nodded back.

"So, how is my patient?" she asked, walking towards Noin's position.

Fumio was still curled up like a cat, fast asleep on the sofa beside her, with his head still resting on her lap. Hilde had recently covered him over with a blanket.

"He's been fine," replied Noin quietly, "just sleeping soundly."

Sally crouched down beside him and briefly inspected the bandaging on his arm.

"That's good," she whispered, "the more he sleeps, the faster he'll heal."

She affectionately stroked the back of her fingers across the sleeping boy's cheek before getting up and joining Heero and Quatre, sitting between them on the three-seat sofa.

"Sal, thank you for all your help last night," said Heero in a grateful tone, nodding appreciatively. "I don't think I would have been quite so, calm, if you weren't here."

Sal patted her hand on his arm, "You're very welcome Heero. I'm just sorry about what happened, have you managed to make any sense of it yet?"

There were nods from all around the room, and for the next few minutes, Sally was brought up to speed on the situation, and the plans to help track down the training blueprints.

Fumio quietly opened his eyes. He had been hearing mumbled talking for the past few minutes, although he hadn't taken much notice of what they were saying. He lay still for a moment, gathering his thoughts and his bearings. He suddenly felt a soreness from all the little cuts and scratches on his face and arms, and a particularly nasty sting coming from his right forearm. Without moving, he cast his eyes towards the arm and immediately spotted the white bandage.

He felt a sudden desperate sinking in his heart. "Oh no!" he gasped in silence to himself, "it really did happen again. I just thought I was dreaming."

A sense of growing inner panic started welling up inside him as he re-played over and over the series of dreamy and disjointed images he had somehow acquired within his mind. He tried to piece them together to figure out what must have taken place.

Suddenly he sat up, looking a little startled. Immediately the voices in the room went quiet, and then gentle but concerned words of greeting were sent towards him.

Fumio felt tired and confused. Trying his best to be polite, he quietly returned the greetings, simultaneously feeling a sense of embarrassment and exaggerated vulnerability. He felt an urgent need to get away from there, from a room full of eyes all looking at him.

He realised that they were all caring eyes of concern; from people who seemed to show great care and love for him, but it did little to quell his need to get away. He could feel the room feverishly closing in, choking and suffocating him. He needed to find space to breathe, somewhere to find his bearings without feeling like he was being scrutinised under a microscope.

He stood up, causing the blanket to fall to the floor.

"I… I have to… to… study," he stuttered, wobbling slightly, feeling giddy from getting up so quickly.

"Maybe you should take things easy today Fumio?" suggested Sally.

"I'll be okay," he replied abruptly, suddenly heading for the door, trying his best to look normal and unbothered, "but thank you for the concern."

Moments later the door clicked shut.

A slightly, confused silence hung over the room. It was obvious to everyone that the boy was troubled and looking panicked. There was no sign of Fumio's usual, almost calming sense of presence as he hastily made his exit from the room almost stumbling over the blanket in the process. Everyone could see the suffocating look in his eyes and that he was desperate to get out of there. They looked at each other, uncertain if or what to say or do.

It was Heero who broke the silence. He could see the looks of concern on the others' faces.

"Don't worry about him," he said softly, "he'll just need some space for a while," was the very short, but nullifying suggestion.

"Do you think one of us should go after him?" asked Hilde.

"No, he'll be all right," was Heero's short answer again.

Quatre cleared his throat, sitting further forward. "I think what Heero's implying is that it might make things worse if we go making a fuss over him," he suggested.

Heero nodded, agreeing to Quatre's comments, followed by the slight nodding of heads from the rest of the group as they understood the thinking.

"He'll deal with this in his own way," suggested Heero, "just let him be for now."

They continued discussing their quest to find the blueprints for another ten or so minutes before Noin eventually left the room to use the communications equipment in Quatre's office. As their plan unfolded, it seemed more likely that Noin had the best chance of success. She had some connections she could contact who were the most liable to yield results, and so it was decided that she would be the one to get their quest under way.

She returned to the lounge about half an hour later.

"How did it go Noin?" asked Trowa.

Noin nodded positively, "I think it went better than I was expecting," she replied. "I managed to get in touch with an old and trusted friend who has some important contacts on the colonies. When I explained the situation, he was willing, even keen to help," she commented, "and he seemed somewhat optimistic that his contacts would be prepared to assist us too. I think he has a few favours to call in, but he also hinted at how there is a growing sense of need for atonement among a lot of his contacts. It seems there are people in high places having regrets about some of the actions and decisions that they took during the war, and some of them are looking to make amends. It means we may have more allies with this quest than I first thought."

"Hey, that's really great news Noin, it's good to hear" commented Duo, "okay, so what's next? What do we need to do now?"

"We just sit tight," she replied, "he'll be getting back to me within a day or two just as soon as he's made the necessary arrangements to get the word out to the right people." As she spoke, she pulled a cell phone from her pocket, pointing to it, implying that he would be calling back on it.

"That's it?" asked Duo, sounding a bit confounded, "isn't there anything else we can do in the meanwhile?"

Noin shook her head, "Trust me Duo; this guy is the best. He's extremely good and efficient at what he does. If anyone is going to help us find what we want, it's him. So when he tells you to sit tight, then the only thing you should do is _actually_ sit tight."

Heero looked at Noin and nodded appreciatively, "Well, then I guess we wait," he suggested dryly, "a few more days won't do any harm."

"But, but!" Stuttered Duo, "Surely, there must be something else we can do? We can't just sit here, not after everything we saw last night?" There was fretfulness in his voice.

Duo's comments raised some eyebrows. It suddenly became evident that he was more troubled about what he had witnessed that night than he was letting on.

Wufei silently looked at him, wondering about his reasoning. Duo had already made his feelings about the foundation very clear, and for a moment Wufei wondered if he sought nothing more than retribution, and was just eager to kick some foundation butt. But there was something in Duo's tone of voice, and a hidden, almost distressed look in his eyes that quickly told Wufei that this was not about revenge at all. Behind that cheery mask of indomitability, sat a look of real, genuine compassion and empathy for the boy and his situation.

In that brief moment, Wufei suddenly felt an unusual amity of warmth towards his fellow pilot, for he had glimpsed in Duo, a level of genuineness that deserved his respect.

Duo suddenly realised he was letting his mask slip. With a quick sigh, a sip of tea from his mug, and an ever-so-slight smile, the cheery mask was back in place again. The look of concern was gone, buried back down into the troubled depths of his conscience from where it had first surfaced.

"Well, it's a beautiful day," suggested Quatre breaking the slightly uneasy silence of the room, "I do believe you ladies were planning a girls-day-out into town today?" he asked.

Sally, Noin and Hilde all looked at each other, "we were," replied Sally, "but under the circumstances, maybe we should…"

"Go!" interrupted Heero in a light tone, "you don't need to be concerned, everything will be just fine for now."

Although nobody wanted to say anything, there seemed to be an underlying belief that what had happened to Fumio that night could happen again at any given moment. Heero however, knew otherwise. If the pattern of things were to repeat themselves, Fumio would now not be due another occurrence like that for many weeks.

"You sure Heero?" asked Sally.

Heero nodded, "There's no reason for you to cancel your trip."

"Yes, go, enjoy yourselves," suggested Duo, "don't worry, we'll keep an eye on things here."

"You've got Noin's mobile communication device, so you know we can get in touch if we need to," suggested Quatre, "I'll keep mine on me too in case we decide to go out." Sally agreed.

"And if you're really lucky, we'll bake you another cake while you're gone," joked Duo, now back to his old self again.

Simultaneously all three girls answered back, "No!... no, really, that's fine guys, really! you don't have to, er, please?"

The mood quickly lifted as the whole group burst into laughter.

Quatre suggested they get some breakfast, so the whole group left the lounge and meandered their way towards the kitchen.

"Someone should let Fumio know we're going to eat," suggested Hilde.

Wufei nodded, "I'll go," he replied, stopping, and then heading back towards the stairs. "I'm pretty sure I know where he is."

Wufei was confident that Fumio would be sat out under the old oak tree by the lake, the one place where he really seemed to feel at home. It was still a little chilly, and he wasn't feeling particularly warm, so he headed upstairs to his room to get a sweater before heading out there.

As Wufei emerged from his room after donning his new top, he suddenly noticed some very faint sounds coming from much further down the corridor. He became curious.

"Everyone is downstairs," he thought silently to himself, "and I do not believe there is any staff on the premises today."

He began walking silently down the corridor to investigate.

As he got nearer, he could hear the sound was that of voice, accompanied by irregular, dull thud sounds. He realised it was coming from the mansion's gym that Quatre had recently installed on that floor.

Quatre inappropriately referred to it simply as the 'weight room', but this room was far from being a mere room with some weights in it. A more appropriate name would have been 'Fitness Studio', but even that name didn't do it justice. It was a huge room, crammed full of the most amazing and latest high-tech fitness and gym equipment that money could buy, including a full-sized battle-ring where almost any kind of combat skills could be practised.

As he drew closer to the room, the sounds became clearer.

"Crazy, stupid, brain!" came the rather puffed out and frustrated words occurring simultaneously with the sound of heavy impacting thuds. It was Fumio.

Wufei silently approached the huge room. The door had been left ajar, allowing him to peer in unnoticed. The small monk was in the far corner of the room taking out his frustrations on a large white punch bag suspended from a long-reaching bracket on the wall. He was quietly cursing at himself through grit teeth, simultaneously punching and kicking furiously at the bag with anger.

"Stupid! Stupid! So stupid!" came another bout of self-insults, "why am I so weak, so stupid!" his words becoming more frustrated and angered with each impact.

Wufei remained in the corridor observing unnoticed. He could see the distress and torment written all over the boys' face. He noticed Fumio was having a hard time staying upright as his socks kept sliding on the polished wooden floor. Every time he slipped it seemed to anger him more.

Wufei silently pulled away from the door frame, leaning his back against the wall in the corridor. He pressed his head back against the wall, looking up as the same feelings of compassion and protection that he had felt yesterday, returned to him again. He felt so bad for Fumio, but he realised he shouldn't interrupt him; he knew that anger and frustration were always better out than in, and what better way to release such emotions than on a punching bag.

"So stupid! such a looser!" came another round of self-inflicting expressions, "why can't I be like Heero or Wufei, why can't I be strong like them?"

It was painful for Wufei to hear. He tried to imagine himself in the very predicament that Fumio was in. What would he do? How would he cope with it? He struggled to find an answer and began to realise the full extent of the frustration the boy must have been feeling.

He felt a saddened tugging on his heart. His desire to see Fumio's pain end was becoming a profound weight on his mind. A part of him badly wanted to run in there and assure him that the pain would end and that everything would be all right, but the truth was, he didn't know. If Noin's plan didn't work, he was at a loss as to what might happen in the long term.

He peered back around the doorframe into the room. Fumio was tiring rapidly. His breathing was heavy and rapid, but still, he continued mustering strength from deep within to strike at the punch bag, making heavy grunting and puffing noises with each, now weakening strike. The bag was swinging back and forth, and Fumio had to get his timing right to make contact with it. Suddenly he took a lunging swing and missed, causing him to spin around and slump to the ground, landing on his butt.

Another time and place, and it might have been funny, but Fumio was far from laughing. His face became scarlet as he angrily scrambled back to his feet, now utterly infuriated. Wufei cringed, biting his bottom lip as he watched the distressed boy unleash hell back at the bag.

"Agghhh! Stupid, stupid, bag!" he squealed through grit teeth as he desperately pummelled his small fists and feet into it, punching and kicking with every last drop of energy he could muster, tears now welling in his eyes and running down his cheeks.

The tugging pangs Wufei could feel on his heart were growing. He could feel an instinct building within that was urging him to go to Fumio, to do something, anything, to just be there for him, to do something to help stop the hurt. But he knew that he couldn't, he mustn't interfere, at least not yet. Fumio had to deal with this, to face up to it in his own way. Trying to protect him from it would not help him.

He continued to observe. Fumio was exhausted, trembling with a lack of energy, but still, he continued to launch into the bag, simultaneously cursing and sobbing with each impact.

Suddenly Wufei noticed red smear marks appearing on the white vinyl-like material of the punch bag. He focused on Fumio's right forearm and realised that the large bandage had become soaked with blood.

"Damn!" he thought to himself, "he's re-opening his wound."

The need to act suddenly took on a new urgency. Wufei stood hesitantly in the doorway while he quickly debated in his mind whether he was doing the right thing by stepping in and intervening. Moments later he hurried into the room towards the boy.

Fumio was still punching and cursing relentlessly at the bag, although it was becoming more and more difficult to muster the energy to lash out. What had earlier been two or three punches or kicks every second, had now reduced down to one weakened punch every four or five seconds between fighting to catch his breath.

His whole body was stinging, his muscles aching and burning, begging him to stop the relentless attacks. The small cuts and scratches over his face and arms were soaked in sweat causing an inflamed burning sensation all over his flesh. The blood from his bandaged wound was now running onto his hand causing the punch bag to become a bloodied mess. Despite his near-exhaustion, still, he continued battling the frustrations that continued to tear relentlessly at his mind.

Wufei arrived quickly, placing himself between Fumio and the bag. He reached out gripping the boy firmly by the upper arms.

"Fumio! Come on, calm down!" he urged, "you're damaging yourself!"

At first, Fumio seemed not to see him; he tried shrugging off his hold, keeping his eyes and attention firmly fixed on the punch bag, desperate to take another swing at it.

Wufei tightened his grip, "Fumio!" he said more firmly, "At ease soldier! Come on, stand down! Stand down! You've got to calm down!"

Suddenly Fumio broke his focus from the bag and stared up at Wufei.

Wufei could see the distant, almost out-of-it look in his tearful, reddened eyes, as if his mind had been elsewhere.

Wufei squeezed his grip on Fumio's forearms again, "That's it Fumio, just calm down, slow it up. Get your breath back kid," he tried to speak in a calming tone.

Fumio was still gasping for breath, sobbing and trembling with a lack of strength.

Slowly he began to lower himself down until he sat tiredly, cross-legged on the floor, slumping his head downwards so his chin pressed against his chest.

Wufei continued to hold his upper arms, supporting him upright. He too crouched and sat cross-legged on the floor so they sat close, facing each other.

"That's it, just get your breath back," encouraged Wufei again, "you're going to be fine, just calm down."

They sat there for a few minutes. Fumio continued to sob and sniff, until his breathing eventually slowed to normal and he'd calmed to just a quiet, numbed, despondent silence.

Wufei gave his shoulders another squeeze, "you feeling better now?" he asked calmly.

Fumio gave another sniff, "You must think I'm so pathetic," he eventually mumbled in a subdued, croaky voice, still with his head slumped down, "Nothing but a weak fool."

Wufei gently put his fingers under Fumio's chin, lifting his head.

"Look at me Fumio-chan," he urged quietly.

Fumio slowly looked up at Wufei; his expression sad and wounded.

"I would never think that of you," said Wufei in a gentle, reassuring voice, "and neither would anyone else. You are certainly not a weak fool, in fact, I think you are the bravest young man I have ever met."

Fumio looked a little surprised at Wufei's comments and for a moment felt slightly encouraged, but then he looked down again and sighed. The frustration he had been feeling was slowly subsiding but had left in its wake a tired numbness.

Wufei reached up and gently held the sides of Fumio's face in his hands, leaning forward, touching their foreheads together in a quiet embrace of reassurance.

"This thing, whatever it is that's making this happen to you Fumio, have faith in Heero," he whispered, "I've never seen him more determined to resolve an issue. Just be patient, you are in good hands."

He felt Fumio nod. Then the boy reached his hands up, placing them on either side of Wufei's face.

"Thank you Wufei-san," came the quiet, appreciative reply.

"Everything's going to be alright, I promise," added Wufei.

They held each other in the comforting embrace for quite a while before they gently broke apart and sat upright.

"Breakfast is being served up in the kitchen. You really ought to eat something Fumio; it'll make you feel better," suggested Wufei, sensing Fumio's fatigue. "What do you say we get you cleaned up, we'll get Sally to take a look at that arm again, then we'll have a slap up breakfast? Deal?"

Fumio nodded gently, "Okay," was the subdued reply.

Wufei nodded and was about stand up when Fumio suddenly reached over and stopped him, gripping his arm.

"Wufei-san?" he asked quietly.

"What is it?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I know this sounds silly, but," Fumio was hesitant and slow in his question, "Please, don't let me be on my own today?"

The monk's distressed words caused a rush of immense sadness to well up in Wufei.

"How can this be?" he thought to himself silently, "how can the kid have the confidence to lead a deadly samurai ritual on one day, and yet become afraid of being on his own the next?"

He now realised the full extent of just how cruel Fumio's situation really was.

"Fumio, come here," he whispered. Fumio leant closer. In an almost alien act, Wufei found himself reaching his arms around the boy and pulling him into a firm and consoling hug.

Fumio gladly welcomed the heartfelt embrace, hugging Wufei back very tightly, clearly taking great comfort from it.

"Of course I'll do that for you," Wufei reassured him gently, in a gasped whisper, the sadness obvious in his voice, "and no Fumio, it's not silly, not silly at all."

Ten minutes later, Wufei was stood in Fumio's room looking out of the window across the mansion grounds, waiting while the young monk took a shower and cleaned himself up in the en-suite bathroom. He seemed to be recovering quickly from his earlier state of frustration and anger. He even called out a humorous comment to Wufei about what it was like trying to take a shower with his injured arm sticking out of the shower cubicle.

A short time later, they made their way back along the east wing corridor heading back to the kitchen where rest of the group were. Fumio had decided to keep on wearing the jogging bottoms and socks he had been given, he rather liked them, but had to exchange the sweaty fleece top for a clean, plain white T-shirt.

They chatted as they walked.

"I didn't think monks got angry and lost it like that," commented Wufei.

Fumio looked up at him sheepishly, he grinned. "Well, sometimes they do, but not very often."

"You think it helped?"

Fumio nodded, "I think so."

Wufei looked at him, "Well next time, you just let me know, and I'll come and hold the punching bag for you okay?" he grinned, "then perhaps you won't end up falling on your butt again."

"You saw that?" gasped Fumio now looking a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I won't tell," grinned Wufei back, "but you should have seen the look your face, it was priceless." he chuckled, "priceless."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The two young Samurai's reached the kitchen. Everyone was there, and had either finished or was just finishing up breakfast. Duo, Heero, Noin and Hilde were sat at the large table, while the others were perched up against the work surfaces in various places surrounding the table area. Everyone was chatting and drinking tea or coffee.

"Could we could borrow you for a moment Sally?" asked Wufei.

Sally looked up. Wufei pointed to Fumio's bloodied arm.

"Oh dear," she said in her completely unflustered 'I see this kind of thing everyday' voice.

She casually put her coffee down and walked over to meet them. "Looks like you could use a new dressing on that," she suggested, placing a hand gently on Fumio's shoulder and ushering him towards the far end of the kitchen where she had left her medical kit from the night before.

Meanwhile, Wufei sat down at the table next to Heero where Quatre had set two places, one for him and one for Fumio to eat breakfast. He began pouring a bowl of cereal as he joined in the conversation.

A few minutes later Fumio came bouncing back down the kitchen with clean, fresh bandaging on his arm, looking a lot happier.

"You hungry Fumio?" asked Quatre, pulling out the chair between Duo and Wufei for him. Fumio nodded eagerly and sat down.

For the next half an hour-or-so the group casually stood or sat around chatting, drinking tea and coffee, while Wufei and Fumio tucked into breakfast.

After four slices of toast, two bowls of cereal, three croissants and two mugs of tea, Fumio reached across to the fruit bowl and selected a fresh, crispy apple. Duo had been staring silently at the boy for the past few minutes; his face was carved with a slightly mind-boggled expression. Quatre noticed him as he leant in to top up Duo's tea.

"What's up Duo?" he asked.

Duo's stare remained fixed on Fumio. "The kid eats more than I do!" he gasped in an astonished, but light-hearted voice, a slight grin appearing on his face, "I can't believe how much food he just put away."

Fumio Looked up. He hadn't noticed Duo's staring; he'd been too busy tucking into his food. Saying nothing, he just gave Duo a cheesy grin.

Duo grinned back at him. "I don't get it, how on earth can you eat so much?" he teased, "I mean, where are you putting it all?"

"Actually Duo," Wufei cleared his throat, "it involves a very particular kind of training."

Duo looked at him, "Really?" he sounded surprised.

Wufei Nodded, "Yes, it takes many years of practice and dedication; it is called Legroom-chi. It allows the monks to store extra food in their legs for energy," he informed his face deadpan.

"Wow, that's amazing!" replied Duo in awe.

Suddenly Sally gave a snigger, followed by quiet titters from around the room. Slowly the sides of Wufei's mouth began to turn upwards as he fought hard to control the laughter that was building inside of him.

Duo paused for a moment, "But… Hey, wait a minute!"

Suddenly the whole room burst out into a big wave of laughter as it dawned on Duo that he'd been duped.

He leant forward, pressing his head on the table, groaning, trying to cover it with his arms. "Ohh, I can't believe I walked straight into that."

The laughter continued for a while until a red-faced Duo eventually sat back up in his chair, cursing at himself for being so easy to fool.

Hilde, still grinning, stood behind his chair and reached her arms affectionately around his shoulders giving him a hug.

"Oh don't worry Duo, we still love you," she spoke humorously in his ear, giving him a peck on the cheek, trying in her own unique way to help quell his sense of embarrassment.

The girls had decided to leave quite early on in the day for the town, to get the most out of their planned 'girl's' day out. Once they were ready to leave, the guys had gathered at the main entrance to see them off, wishing them a good day.

Once back inside the house, Quatre closed the main front door and turned around to face the rest of the group. He grinned mischievously.

"Right then Guys," he said, rubbing his hands together.

The others looked oddly at each other before turning back to face him.

"What are you planning Quatre?" asked Trowa in a slightly hesitant, suspicious voice.

"Well, if the girls are going to have a girls day out, then I guess it's only fair that we should have a guys day out, what do you think?"

There was a general nodding, as the comments came back,

"Sure."

"Okay."

"Yeah, why not."

"So what have you got in mind Cat?" piped up Wufei.

Again, a beaming grin appeared on Quatre's face, "There's a beach not far from here, with some great sand dunes, what do you say we go and check it out?"

"Sounds like fun," replied Duo, "I'm in."

"Yup me too," nodded Wufei and Trowa simultaneously.

"We're going to a beach?" gasped Fumio excitedly, "that's great!" his face lit up with enthusiasm.

"Hey relax kid! it's just some lousy beach," replied Duo, "it's not like were going to Disneyland or anything."

Fumio grinned, "I know," he nodded, "it's just that I haven't been to a beach since I was really small.

Duo suddenly looked a little confounded, "Well that's not right," he protested, "all kids should get to go to a beach at least once a year, at least that's what Father Maxwell always taught me. Why do you think beaches exist? So kids can play on them of course, they were made for each other."

"Well," interrupted Quatre in a cheery voice, "why don't we get changed into something appropriate and then meet outside in, say, ten minutes?"

Everyone agreed and disappeared off to their rooms to find some beachwear.

Ten minutes later, Heero, Trowa and Wufei were stood waiting at the bottom of the stone steps leading up to the main front entrance. They were all wearing shorts and shades, looking cool and ready for the beach. The main door opened and out stepped Duo wearing the most hideously bright Hawaiian-style surfing shorts and T-shirt imaginable. The others grinned as he made his way down the steps.

"Hey Guys," he grinned, peering over the top of his small sunglasses, "we ready to hit the beach or what?" he chirped.

"Now that!" beamed Wufei, "is definitely you!" he said pointing to Duo's day-glow shorts.

Duo grinned again, "You like em? They're the latest fashion you know. The ladies go crazy for them, at least, that's what the guy in the shop told me."

Suddenly Trowa and Heero laughed out loudly, "Duo, what the heck are you wearing?" barked Heero dryly, "you look ridiculous!"

Duo looked at him, still grinning, "Hmm, I guess you haven't spent much time on any beaches lately either Heero," he suggested. He grabbed his shorts by the sides stretching them outward, "Everyone's wearing them, apparently."

"Hmm, think I'll pass on that," replied Heero, still grinning.

"Me too," added Trowa.

"Where's your brother Heero?" asked Trowa, changing the subject.

"I think Fumio's still getting changed," replied Duo, "I had to lend him some shorts as he didn't have any of his own."

Heero suddenly looked at Duo, "Damn! I hope they're not like those," he said pointing to Duo's shorts.

Duo paused for a moment, then grinned again, "Naa, Don't worry Heero, they're from my, more sober collection."

As he finished speaking, the main door opened again and out stepped Fumio.

The others couldn't help but raise a grin as they saw Heero's younger brother coming down the steps towards them wearing the shorts that Duo had loaned him.

They were huge, baggy surfing shorts, this time in a slightly soberer bright yellow colour, but were at least five sizes too big. They were apparently designed to reach to just above the wearer's knees, but on Fumio, they covered halfway down his lower legs, almost reaching to the plain white canvas sneakers on his feet. They were gathered up at the waist by his belt making them look like a sack of potatoes tied at the top.

Fumio grinned, "I think they're a bit big," he commented to Duo.

"Are you kidding!" replied Duo, reaching a hand onto his shoulder, "they look great on you. Now you're a proper surfing dude. What do you think guys?"

There were suppressed chortles before a general admission that despite being totally the wrong size, they could have looked a lot worse than they actually did.

Wufei, Heero and Trowa all just gave a grinning thumbs-up, restraining from further comment.

"So where's Cat then?" asked Duo looking at his watch, "he said ten minutes, and it's been, like, fifteen. It's not like him to be late for anything."

"I saw him heading for the garages a few minutes before I came out," suggested Wufei.

Suddenly, they heard a big sounding engine start up.

"Hey, that, that sounds like a military transporter," suggested Trowa.

All eyes looked right to where the gravel drive swept around behind the main house, to the garage and stabling areas.

Suddenly, from behind the building drove an enormous, black, 4X4 recreational vehicle.

It was open roofed with a row of huge spotlights running across the roll cage that sat on the top of the dark-tinted windscreen and passenger area. It had huge quadruple rectangular headlights with a shiny chrome grill and bumpers. The sun sparkled off the deep glossy black coachwork and mirrored chrome trim.

"Wow!" cooed Duo excitedly, "check out that 4x4!"

The others just watched, speechless, in awe, as the monster rig trundled around the corner and pulled up, stopping in front of them. The thunderous engine was silenced, and the driver's door opened.

"Hey Guys," came Quatre's voice as he jumped down from the cab and wandered to the front of the vehicle, his head only just came level with the headlights and chrome grill.

"Whoa, Quatre!" chirped Duo excitedly, "Now that is one sexy piece of machinery."

Duo stepped up to the wing and tenderly ran his hand over the bodywork. He looked up at Quatre.

"You old scoundrel Cat," he quipped, his voice still showing a hint of shock, "and to think, I had you down as a Volkswagen kind-of-guy!"

Quatre grinned.

The others were still stood in silence, open mouthed and awe-struck by this massive chunk of shiny metal and chrome sat before them.

"So what's the deal Cat?" asked Duo, still running his hands over it, "Where'd this beauty come from?"

"It was a gift, from one of the companies we purchase our mining equipment from," he replied, "It's a little sideline business they've got going."

Fumio stepped up to one of the huge chunky tyres. His eyes came level with the top of the giant wheel rim, he raised his arm up and realised that he could not reach the top of the tyre. A beaming grin appeared on his face.

"Are we going to the beach in this?" he directed his question to Quatre.

Quatre smiled back at him, nodding, "unless you prefer the Rolls Royce?"

Fumio shook his head, still grinning, "No, I think we should give this a try today," he replied pointing to the truck.

Within a few minutes, they had left the mansion and were heading down the leafy country lane out towards the coast. Quatre was driving, taking it easy. The massive engine purred with ease as they trundled along, eventually breaking into open road and brilliant sunshine.

Heero was in the front passenger seat, while the three other pilots and mini-monk sat on the rear seat.

Duo was in his element. He stood up, holding on to the roll bar.

In his elevated position, the wind violently tousled his face and hair as he leant forward, throwing both fists into the air grinning.

"Wooohooo!" he yelled excitedly. Quatre glanced up and smiled. He figured it wouldn't be long before someone would be stood up.

"Come on, this is great!" he shouted down to the others, trying to make his voice heard through the wind rushing past his ears. Fumio was the first to jump up, grinning as the wind suddenly hit him in the face.

"That's it, kid," commented Duo, patting a hand on his shoulder.

Trowa was next to stand, and eventually, yielding to the pressure of the other three beckoning to him, Wufei finally stood up and experienced the rush of air in his face.

It was too much to bare for more than a few minutes, so they all sat back down for the rest of the journey, but as the ocean came into view some twenty minutes later, they were all back on their feet again.

"Nearly there guys," remarked Quatre, as the vehicle began to slow down, "There's a gate a little way along here somewhere, ah, there it is."

He brought the giant truck to a halt on the deserted road, just opposite a large, rusty old gate leading on to some open sand dunes and eventually the beach.

"Any volunteers for the gate?" asked Quatre.

"I'll go," replied Trowa, suddenly leaping from his seat, spinning in mid air and landing on his feet at the roadside.

Fumio was impressed. It was the first time he had seen Trowa's abilities in action.

A few minutes later, they were slowly negotiating their way across very hilly mounds of sand towards the beach. Quatre had to use the four-wheel drive system, and it was only the huge chunky tyres that prevented them from sinking into the soft bone-dry sand.

They reached a clearing and had one final track to negotiate before the beach.

A short, dry dirt road with two wide tyre tracks that cut their way across what looked like a green, marshland. There was a lot of undergrowth that had crept out across the road from where it hadn't been used for a long time.

Quatre positioned the vehicle onto the road and was about to drive forward when Fumio jumped up, "Hold on a minute," he urged.

Quatre stopped the vehicle, but before he could ask what was up, Fumio had leapt down from the cab and ran to the front, disappearing below the hood line. The others looked at each other oddly.

"What's he doing?" asked Quatre.

A few moments later Fumio's small figure appeared a little further ahead on the track. He seemed to be looking for something in the undergrowth on the road. Then he turned round and signalled for Quatre to drive forward a few meters before signalling him to stop again. He continued his searching.

"Oh, yup, I think I know what he's up to," confirmed Heero.

The others looked at him, expecting an answer.

"Well, think about it," urged Heero, turning in to face the others, "he's a Buddhist monk."

"Oh, yes of course," sighed Quatre, leaning forward over the steering wheel, "I understand now."

Even Wufei had sussed it out, but Trowa and Duo just looked blankly at each other.

"Oh, come on guys," protested Wufei, "please tell me you're not that dim?"

The blank looks remained.

"Think! what's one of the most basic rules of being a monk?" urged Wufei.

"Err, I don't know," replied Duo, "Maybe, Umm... no girls in your room after midnight?"

Laughter suddenly filled the cab.

"Get real Duo!" replied Wufei, grinning slightly.

"What?" protested Duo, "I'm serious, okay well, maybe not that serious, but I still don't get what he's doing."

"Come on Duo," urged Wufei again, now determined to make him understand, "be serious, what's one of the most fundamental rules that Fumio has to follow?" he reiterated his question again. The laughter had died down again as everyone listened. Trowa, by now, had also got the point. Only Duo seemed to remain clueless.

"Okay, I'm serious," said Duo trying to think carefully, "fundamental rules… fundamental rules… Hmm… no swearing maybe? No smoking dope? Certainly no mugging people!"

Wufei rolled is eyes back in despair.

"Okay, okay, I'm just pulling your leg Wufei!" Replied Duo, "Don't have a calf! I guess what you want me to say is, no killing? Right?"

"Finally!" gasped Wufei, looking to the sky, palms uppermost as if thanking the stars, "there may be some hope for this fool yet."

"You're right Duo," added Quatre, suddenly going off on one of his 'factual tangents'. "The monks believe that all life is precious, I guess he's concerned that we may run something over in this undergrowth."

Duo nodded, understanding, "The kid's got dedication," he remarked quietly, "I respect that."

They watched, waiting patiently as Fumio continued to check the ground until suddenly he span around grinning from ear to ear. He held up what looked like a small lizard that he had just discovered next to a rock.

"There, you see," gestured Quatre with his hand, "we would almost certainly have run it over, and known absolutely nothing about it."

Heero gestured a thumbs up through the windscreen, and Fumio moved to the far edge of the road, releasing the creature out of harm's way.

They continued to inch their way along the short road until they reached the pure open sands of the huge, completely deserted beach. Fumio climbed aboard again, and they drove out to find a good spot.

"Damn, there are no women here!" remarked Duo, sounding disappointed.

"Well, I guess that's just as well, considering what you're wearing," replied Trowa.

"Yes, you've got a one-track mind Duo," added Wufei.

Soon they found a good spot and parked the vehicle side-on to the shore some fifty-or-so paces away from the water. As everyone disembarked, Quatre opened the rear door and slid out a large, white, retractable canopy with legs. It was designed to clip onto the side of the vehicle forming an enormous shaded area where they could sit without getting burned by the sun's intense heat.

As Quatre and Heero set up the canopy, the others quickly discarded their shoes and all raced off towards the sea, laughing and yelling as they ran.

Quatre Grinned, "It doesn't seem to matter how old you are," he spoke to Heero, "the beach always seems to bring out the kid in everyone."

Heero looked at him, not completely understanding his comments, "Doesn't affect me like that," he replied quietly, disagreeing, as he secured the last guy-rope to the canopy

Quatre didn't know what to say but knew he had to do something to prove Heero wrong. "Oh yeah?" grinned Quatre mischievously, suddenly kicking off his sneakers.

Heero looked at him oddly.

"Come on, I'll race you!" he grinned, intending to head for the sea.

Heero just looked at him, "I told you, the beach doesn't effect me like that."

"Wanna bet?" smirked Quatre, he began kicking sand at Heero's lower legs.

"Hey quit it!" protested Heero.

"Make me," grinned Quatre, flicking more sand at him.

"Hey, Cat, Come on! You're getting sand in my shoes!" protested Heero once more.

By now Quatre was running in circles around him, continuously kicking sand at his legs, grinning like a little kid.

"Cat, come on, give me a break, quit already!" replied Heero, he could see what Quatre was trying to do.

"Make me."

"Just quit!"

"Nope!"

"Stop behaving like a kid,"

"Uh-uh!" Quatre shook his head defiantly.

Heero looked at him and sighed, "Thanks a lot, now I've got shoes full of sand."

Heero bent down to untie his laces and instantly Quatre lunged forward, kicking him on the butt. Heero went flying forward and came to a halt face down in the sand.

Quatre began running off towards the sea, laughing his head off.

Heero paused for a moment, slightly stunned. He wasn't expecting that. He tried to look serious, but he couldn't. As he observed Quatre running off towards the others, slowly and surely a grin formed on his face.

"Right, that's it!" he laughed out loud, finally kicking off his shoes and racing after him.

For the next ten or so minutes, the whole group had a great laugh splashing and clowning around in the shallow water. Heero had tried several times to get his own back on Quatre by dunking him in the water, but each time Quatre had managed to evade his attempts by darting out of the way, only suffering slight soakings from the splashes it caused.

Eventually, the group decided to have a game of volleyball. Quatre had brought a net and poles with them, so most of the group headed back towards the truck to get it set up.

Heero was the last one out of the water, as they headed back he tugged at Wufei's sleeve urging him to hold back for a moment so they could talk.

"What's on your mind Heero?"

"I… I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for what you did last night."

Wufei thought back to the event where he had found Fumio through the strange and unexplainable instincts that he had felt.

"You know, I still don't understand exactly how I did it, how I found him. Maybe it was just luck."

"Or fate perhaps?" added Heero, "either way, it doesn't matter. I'm just grateful you were there. I guess I just wanted you to know, that's all."

Wufei remained quiet but nodded in appreciation to Heero's very rare and out-of-character gesture.

"Come on Wufei san," Heero placed a hand on Wufei's shoulder and ushered him towards the rest of the group, "the others are waiting for us."

For over two hours they played a relatively intense game of Volleyball, but as the early afternoon sun approached, the sand was becoming baked and scorching. The boys all began to feel it burning the soles of their feet, so they decided to wait it out for a while under the shade of the canopy attached to Quatre's truck.

Quatre pulled out a big cool box full of drinks and food, placing it on the ground. They all sat in a circle around the box and spent the next hour or so just enjoying food, drink, laughter and conversation with each other as friends.

A little later on, when they'd finished, Duo decided he wanted to go for another paddle. As he wandered off back down the beach towards the sea, the others spread themselves out under the canopy on the beach mats that Quatre had also provided. The canopy was huge, and there was plenty of room for everyone to spread out in the shade.

It seemed everyone wanted their own space for a while just to rest and relax

Eventually, Duo returned from his refreshing paddle. He stood just inside the canopy and looked around at the inactive, motionless bodies.

"Wow, you guys really know how to party!" he joked, "go wild man!"

He waited for at least one response, but none came.

"Are you guys just going to sit and lie there all day? C'mon it's a beautiful day, why don't we play some more Volleyball?"

Again, there was no reply.

He threw his hands up in submission, "Might as well be talking to myself," he mumbled, quietly protesting to himself.

He walked back onto the beach and slumped down a few paces away on the hot sand, facing out to sea.

"Yup, might as well be talking to myself," he began rambling on endlessly to himself, half in protest, and half in boredom, "but that's no surprise with some of these guys, I mean they were just like it during the war, and they're just like it now. I mean, what on earth made me think that they would change just because the war is over, once they…"

Duo stopped as he Suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Fumio standing there looking down at him.

"Oh hey kid," he said, "sorry about my rambling here, I tend to ramble on a lot when I'm bored, so you shouldn't really take any notice," he grinned.

Still smiling, Fumio sat cross-legged on the sand at Duo's side, facing him.

"You find it hard to be still don't you Duo?" he asked gently. Fumio's voice was quiet, relaxed, unflustered. He was radiating that, now, familiar sense of calm and serenity that he seemed to do whenever he was in his 'quiet' mode.

Duo nodded, sighing, "I guess I'm just not cut out to be like you guys," he replied, his voice sounding a little disappointed. "I've always got way too much energy," a slight grin appeared on his face, "the day I'm still, will be the day I die," he chuckled quietly to himself.

Fumio smiled and looked out to sea, then back to Duo again.

"So, what else did Father Maxwell teach you about the beach when you were a kid?"

"Hmm, let's see." replied Duo, scanning his eyes around at their surroundings for a moment, "you ever been rock-pooling Fumio?"

Fumio cocked his head to one side, "Rock-pooling? No, what's that?" he asked.

Duo grinned and stood up, "C'mon, I'll show you," he replied, heading off towards the large rocky area a few hundred paces further along the beach.

Minutes later they were paddling across one of many rocky pools left by the low tide.

"When the tide goes out, sometimes creatures get trapped in these pools. They have to wait until the tide comes in again to get back to the sea," Duo explained.

Suddenly he stopped and reached his hand down into the water, "Here ya go, just like this little fellow."

He showed Fumio what he'd found by placing it in his hand.

"Oh wow!" cooed the boy, "it's a starfish. I've seen them in books, but I've never seen a real one before."

Duo looked surprised and slightly disappointed. "You know, I've gotta say, kid, it saddens me knowing that you never got to the sea more often. Some of my best childhood memories were at the beach." He scanned his eyes out towards the small waves lapping at the sandy shore, "Yup, we'd go to the sea at least once a year, sometimes just for a week, sometimes for a fortnight. It was a treat we all looked forward to for the whole year."

Fumio placed the starfish safely back in the water and waded a few steps to the edge of the pool, sitting down on one of the rocks. He looked at Duo with a serious expression, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Duo? what was Father Maxwell like?" he asked tentatively, unsure if asking Duo about his past would be okay.

Duo stared back at the boy for a moment, before sighing.

"Well, Father Maxwell was a great man," he replied, "he founded and ran the Maxwell orphanage that I grew up in when I was kid."

Fumio suddenly looked surprised, "you mean, you, you're an orphan too? Like Heero and me?"

Duo wandered over and gestured for him to shuffle over so he could sit next to him on the rock,

"Yup, I guess we have more in common than you realised eh kid?" he replied as he sat down.

Fumio nodded, "I didn't know."

Duo looked out to sea again and sighed again, "Thanks to Father Maxwell, I was able to have a decent childhood. I guess he was the closest thing I ever had to a father. He was always there for me, for all of us."

Duo reminisced further into his memories. "Sure, he had to be strict sometimes, had to put me in my place from time to time, but you've gotta realise I was a real tearaway when I was younger, real cocky." He grinned for a moment, "but, he was always there to pick me up when I was having a bad day or when I was feeling down; he never let me fall."

Fumio listened quietly, "He sounds like he was a good man," he whispered.

Duo nodded, "Yes he was, and if it wasn't for OZ, I guess he'd probably still be alive today."

Duo's voice sounded a little agitated.

Fumio reached a hand across onto Duo's forearm, "It's all right, you don't have to say it, Heero already told me that Oz wiped out your family and home, but he never said it was an orphanage. Is that why you have the name Maxwell and became a Gundam pilot?" enquired Fumio further, now a little more confident that Duo was okay talking about his past.

Duo looked him in the eye and seemed to settle again, "Yeah on both counts," he whispered, nodding subtly, his voice sounding a little croaky for a moment.

"I took the name Maxwell, so I would never forget my family or past, and I became a Gundam Pilot because, after what they did, well, by then, I was ready and willing to wipe out Oz, single-handed if I had to."

He paused, sighing again, "I know they say revenge is never the answer, but I guess the people who say it have never had to live through something like that."

Fumio nodded, understanding what the American boy was trying to say. He peeled his view down to the rock pool, hesitating for a moment, realising that his next question might be a bit contentious. He looked Duo in the eye again.

"Duo, now that Oz is destroyed, do you feel you've fulfilled your need to seek revenge for those you lost?"

Duo looked down; he was reluctant to answer. He took a deep breath and sighed, then looked at Fumio forming a reluctant smile.

"Kid, you're twelve years old, shouldn't you be talking about music or girls or something, not deep stuff like this?"

Fumio suddenly looked regretful for asking. "I'm sorry Duo-san, I didn't mean to make you feel bad, it's all right, you don't need to answer."

Duo pondered the boys' regretful expression for a moment, and then formed another smile, "It's all right, don't worry," replied Duo quietly, "I don't mind answering; besides, it was a long time ago. Time is a good healer."

He sighed again, thinking carefully about his response, "The truth is Fumio, sometimes when you think that doing something will make you feel better, or will right a wrong, you can become so embroiled in it, that you lose sight of everything else, the things that really matter. Sometimes you don't even realise that you're doing more harm than good until it's too late."

Fumio looked at him, scrutinising Duo's expression, trying hard to grasp the point that he was trying to make. Duo sighed again, then reached his arm gently around Fumio's shoulders.

"Fumio-chan, if you remember nothing else from this holiday, I want you to remember, no, I want you to promise me one thing,"

Fumio remained looking attentively at the American pilot.

"I want you to promise me that you will never, and I mean never, not for one single moment, ever turn away from those no-kill beliefs of yours, especially when it comes to Human life, no matter what the circumstances are, even, even if you choose not to be a monk anymore."

Fumio continued to look at Duo's now slightly saddened eyes, "Would you do that for me, eh kid?"

Slowly, Fumio began to nod, "Yes Duo, I will do that for you, and I promise." he whispered, now finally understanding the very source of Duos inner pain.

Duo nodded, "Good," he whispered, "it's the best decision you could ever make."

With another sigh and a deep breath, Duo's seriousness was quietly buried under his familiar cheery mask once again.

"C'mon," he suddenly chirped, "we might as well take advantage of being here. You wanna do some more rock-pooling before we go back?"

A smile appeared on Fumio's face as he agreed and shuffled off the rock, stepping back into the water.

The journey home from the beach was a much quieter one than the journey there. After another two hours of volleyball and other intensely energetic sports activities in the fresh air, the whole group was exhausted.

As the big vehicle trundled towards home along the quiet country road, Duo was reflecting on his earlier conversation with Fumio. He was grateful, even a little moved, by the opportunity to share such precious memories with someone who had taken a genuine interest, and really seemed to care.

Fumio was sat next to him, quietly watching the passing landscape as it scrolled past.

Duo observed the boy for a moment; He was once again, radiating that almost contagious sense of calm and serenity that he did whenever he was quiet.

He couldn't help but feel a growing sense of warmth and fondness towards the young monk. He gave him a very gentle nudge, breaking him from his landscape watching. Fumio looked up at him.

"You okay kid?" Duo smiled.

Fumio nodded affirmatively, smiling back, "are you?" he asked quietly.

Duo nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay. I had a good time today," he replied softly, "I enjoyed our chat earlier too, it was good to recall those old memories, you know, about going to the beach as a kid."

Fumio smiled again, nodding, "I'm glad Duo-san, it was kind of you to share them with me, I enjoyed hearing about them."

Duo smiled back. Hearing the sincerity in Fumio's voice, he found himself reaching over and very gently ruffling the boy's hair in a gesture of affection. "You're a good kid Fumio-chan," he said quietly, "I'm glad I got the chance to meet you."

By the time they pulled onto the mansion drive, many of the group were almost asleep. They tiredly disembarked and found their way up the stone steps to the house, eventually slumping themselves onto the sofa's in the lounge.

It was evident that the girls were not back yet from their day out, but they would probably be arriving within the next hour or so. There were plans in the pipeline for the entire group to hit the town that evening, but for the boys, there was some serious energy recovering to be done if that was still to be the case.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Less than an hour after the boys returned home, the girls arrived back, carrying a lot of shopping. In an attempt to establish if the others were home, Noin opened the door to the lounge, only to be greeted by six, unconscious, snoring bodies.

A huge grin appeared on her face as she spun around to beckon the others over.

"Hey, you have got to see this!" she urged in a whispered voice to Sally and Hilde who were stood in the hallway behind her. All three girls peered through the door.

The boys were still in their beach clothes. Duo and Trowa were slouched symmetrically on one of the sofas; both had their arms folded, and their heads tipped right back against the backrest, mouths agape. Wufei was stretched flat out on his back, across the second sofa, periodically snoring. Heero and Quatre were slouched at either end of the third couch. Fumio was slumped between them leaning up against Heero. All were completely unconscious.

"So cute!" gasped Hilde in a whisper, all three of them quietly giggling like schoolgirls at the sight before them.

"I wonder what they got up to today to make them all so tired?" asked Sally as she quietly closed the door, allowing them to sleep on undisturbed. She was greeted by blank looks.

After going to their rooms to put their shopping away, the girls returned downstairs and met up in the kitchen.

There they sat for the next hour or so, drinking coffee's and continuing to catch up on old times.

Eventually, Quatre walked in yawning tiredly. His hair was tousled and sticking up. "Oh, hello girls," he yawned again, "how long have you been back?"

Over the next hour or so, one by one the boys emerged from their slumberous state and wandered into the kitchen, drawn there by the sound of talking and the smell of fresh coffee. They joined in the conversation swapping stories with the girls over the events of the day. Eventually, they decided to go ahead with their plans to hit the local town; a meal in a restaurant followed by a visit to one of the local nightclubs.

They arrived in town at around seven. The guys were feeling much more refreshed than a few hours earlier. Quatre was driving again, in his now, hard-roofed monster 4x4. He had also unfolded two extra rows of rear passenger seats creating ample room for everyone. It had caused quite a commotion back at the mansion when he first pulled up outside. Noin was particularly charmed by it and kept badgering him to let her take it for a spin, which he did.

Everyone found it especially hilarious when Hilde tried to climb aboard in high heels and a skirt that was a little too restrictive around the knees. She almost had to be lifted up into the cab by Sally already inside, and Heero outside on the ground pushing. It was hardly a graceful event, and Sally was laughing so much at one point she almost dropped the poor girl. They both eventually wound up slumped in a heap inside the cab, arm and legs in the air, laughing hysterically.

Everyone had dressed smartly for the occasion. The boys were dressed casually in trousers and neatly ironed shirts of varying colours and patterns. The Girls had all brought new evening wear on their day trip, which in reality amounted to little more than eight hours of retail therapy.

Their first port of call was a European restaurant that Quatre had highly recommended. The car park was just a few minutes walk from the town centre. After locking the truck, the group began to meander its way towards the lights and bustle of the high street. On exiting the car park, there was a slightly tense moment when they passed a small gang of rather unsavoury looking characters just hanging around at the entrance, but nothing more than a few glances were exchanged.

The main high street was noisy, full of life and activity. It was cheerfully illuminated by all of the restaurants, and late-night speciality shops that lined both sides of the main street. Everywhere were groups of people, some small, some larger, some sober, some a little tipsy, and a few downright drunk. All were out to just enjoy themselves and have a good time.

Eventually, they reached the Restaurant; the rather oddly named 'Helga's European House of Bread'.

"Ah! Master Quatre!" greeted the enormous, busty, and very German looking woman at the door podium.

"It eese so vezy gooode to see you again!" she said in a thick German accent, giving Quatre an excited, beaming smile.

"Hello Helga," replied Quatre, returning the smile, "it's very nice to see you again too."

"I am zo happy to zee my most favourite customer return to us." she continued with her compliments.

Quatre smiled again.

"Ahh, I zee you ave brought some friends viz you today," she said excitedly scanning her eyes over the Gundam gang stood around him.

Quatre nodded, "Would it be too much trouble to arrange a table for nine?" he asked humbly.

Helga looked up at Sally and Noin who were stood directly beside him.

"Ohh, eee asks wiz such politeness," said Helga in a flattered gesture, pressing her hands to her chest, "now you know why ee is my most favourite cuztomer," she commented humorously.

The girls grinned, nodding, agreeing with her.

"But of course! nothing eez too much trouble for you Master Quatre," she replied equally as humbly, "just let me arrange that for you now."

She turned around, "SVEN?!" she bellowed out to her husband-assistant in the loudest, harshest, most grating voice anyone had ever heard, "SVEN!" she screeched again, "TABLE FOR NINE!"

As she yelled, the whole group leant back as if being hit by a blast wave. They could almost feel the sound from her voice knocking the wind out of them. Customers already in the restaurant seemed to wince and cringe as they felt the assault on their eardrums. Any dogs in the street whimpered and ran for their lives. Startled birds took flight, grown men cowered, wine glasses teetered on the verge of shattering, and all across the restaurant the small, frail chandeliers over each table seemed to tremble with fright.

A few moments later, Sven, Helga's husband hurried through from a corridor at the back of the restaurant. He was a relatively short, very weedy looking middle-aged man wearing a white chef's apron and very thick round glasses.

"Ready my precious flower," he confirmed standing beside her loyally, smiling.

She towered over him by at least twelve inches.

"Oh Sven, Vot vould I ever do vizout you my sweetest bunnykins?" she said in a much quieter voice, hugging him to her enormous bosom and planting an affectionate kiss on the top of his balding head.

Moments later they were being led to their table.

"Are they for real?" whispered Duo to Quatre, a huge grin on his face, the others heard Duo's question, listening in for an answer. Quatre smiled and nodded.

"Yes, they may be the original odd couple," he replied in a whispered voice, "but Helga bakes the best brioche loaf on the planet. Trust me, the food here is out of this world."

Helga stopped at the head of the table, allowing everyone to pass her and find a seat. Suddenly she spotted Fumio for the first time. He had been hiding at the back of the group and had thus far managed to avoid detection.

"Oh," she squealed excitedly, bringing her hands to her chest again, "Master Quatre, you deed not tell me you ad such an adorable and andsome young man in your group," she jokingly protested.

"Hello," came the quiet, somewhat intimidated voice from the pint-sized boy as the huge woman peered down at him.

"Such an andsome young chappy," she smiled, reaching down and pinching his cheek between her finger and thumb, "you must be a real charmer wiz zee ladies, no?"

Sally sniggered quietly as she heard the comment, followed by titters from the others as they continued to sit down.

Helga grinned some more, "I bet you must be aving zee girls queuing at zee door," she joked, "right down zee street."

Fumio smiled back, but began to look embarrassed. He started to go red. He glanced at the rest of the group, hoping for some help.

"Actually Helga," commented Quatre, still grinning, but moving to save Fumio's blushes, "how can I put this gently, he lives in a monastery, he's actually a monk."

Suddenly Helga's cheeky grin dropped, she looked almost shocked.

"Ohh no! Zere goze me and my big mouze again!" she gasped, bringing her fingers to her mouth in an undeniable 'oops' gesture.

"I ad no idea, Oh, I ave insulted and embarrassed zee young man. Ohh. I am so zorry!" she brought her hands down and gently touched her fingertips on his cheeks.

Seeing her looking embarrassed, Fumio suddenly felt a great warmth towards Helga. He gave her his best charming smile, then reached up and took her hands, squeezing them gently. "No, it's alright," he assured her, "you were just being friendly, please don't feel bad."

An hour and a half later, after eating, quite possibly, one of the best meals they had ever had, the group departed the restaurant and headed the short way along the high street to the nightclub that Quatre had also recommended.

The Meal was a wonderful experience, especially as Helga had insisted on making one of her special side dishes just for Fumio as recompense for her earlier comments, on the house of course. He loved it and even ended up asking her for the recipe, which, she divulged to him, but only after getting him to swear an oath of secrecy.

As they walked along the high street towards the nightclub, at least a dozen separate individuals called Quatre's name in friendly greetings and waved as they passed.

"Is there anyone in this town you don't know?" asked Heero ironically.

"Yeah Quatre," continued Duo, "what's going on? Those people are acting like you're famous or something," he pointed a finger at him, "Wait a minute, Cat, did you become a rock star while we were away? Hmm?" he joked, "I can't believe you didn't tell us?"

Quatre quietly chortled, "No Duo, they're just business associates," he grinned, "I try to conduct as much business locally as I can, to help keep local people in jobs, that's all."

It was to be Fumio's first ever visit to a nightclub. He was excited, yet a little apprehensive at the same time. He knew it involved loud music and dancing, but that was about all he knew. Until now He had been used to the tranquillity and sanctuary of his home of nearly five years; the Sakuragoaka monastery. Even while Gundam training on the colony, he never got to experience such events.

As they neared the main entrance, the area was alive with energetic activity. The buzz of people coming and going, the noise of the beating music resonating through the walls and from the doors ahead in the tunnel-like entrance.

The entrance area itself was thickly carpeted and illuminated by a vast array of colourful neon type lights that flashed and pulsated. There was a noisy queue several people deep, waiting to be let in through the main doors. A lone woman occupied the small, but cheerfully illuminated ticket booth at the far end.

Stood at the main entrance doors were some bouncers, large men in dark suits frisking the occasional attendee for weapons or drugs. The group waited patiently in the queue. It seemed to be growing larger by the minute as noisy, and slightly drunk party goers all seeking a good time, added to the numbers.

Once inside the nightclub, Fumio realised any apprehension he may have had was unfounded. It was a huge, airy building with high ceilings. It was dark, yet the spectacular light shows gave off enough light to see everything they needed to. The walkways were also illuminated with some rather clever under-floor lighting.

After settling at a table, the whole group had a good time dancing and partying the evening away. Even Heero, after being badgered, pestered, bribed, and ultimately dared by the rest of the group, eventually got up for a dance, then found he couldn't sit back down again as he discovered it, much to his own surprise, and annoyance, to be quite addictive and enjoyable.

Fumio had quickly attained celebrity status with a large group of women on a hen night sat at the next table. They made a big fuss over him and kept insisting he sat with them whenever they weren't dancing.

The rest of the group found it highly amusing when the time eventually came to go home. He wandered back to the table, grinning from ear to ear and blushing. His whole face was covered with lipstick marks from all the farewell kisses he had received. Fortunately, Noin had some appropriate wipes in her bag, and between Her, Sally and Hilde, were able to clean him up before they left.

It had been a splendid evening. What would have finished it off nicely was a relaxing drive home, and a round or two of milk toddies at the mansion to unwind with, but sadly, it was not to be.

The group meandered back along the street and into the now, almost empty car park. They chatted and laughed as they walked, reminiscing on the great events of the evening.

Suddenly, from behind, came sounds of a scuffle. The rest of the group span around.

"Oh, crap!" came whispered gasps from Trowa and Quatre simultaneously. Everyone watched with instant trepidation, as the gang of thugs they had noticed earlier on, had gathered themselves around the group and across the entrance to the car park, their only way out or means of escape.

There were about a dozen of them. Most were muscle-bound and tattooed. Virtually all of them wielded some kind of a weapon, be it knives, chains or baseball bats.

One particularly large and rather mean looking character had grabbed hold of Fumio and was holding him with both hands at arm's length off the ground by his neck. Fumio was kicking his legs, gasping and struggling, trying to free himself. Two other gang members, both wielding knives, moved to stand in front of the struggling boy to prevent anyone reaching him.

"Hey!" Noin cried out as she prepared to run back and have a go at the young monk's captors.

Heero calmly reached out his arm, stopping her, "Wait Noin," he urged as the rest of the group raised up in shouts of protest at the gang.

"Hey! what the Hell do you think you're doing.?" snarled Wufei in an instant aggressive posture, "put him down, right now or you will die where you stand!"

"You're hurting him!" yelled Sally angrily, "let him go! You sick bastards, what are you doing?"

"You cowards! He's just a kid!" protested Noin angrily, still more than ready to lunge forward and have a go, "how despicable can you get?"

As the protests continued, three of the gang members stepped forward. One of them, probably the leader, took another step forward. He was in his mid-twenties, as were most of the gang. He wore tatty jeans and a dark brown leather jacket, a black fingerless glove on just one hand, and a dark-red bandanna on his head. He had a scar on the right side of his face.

The five pilots had taken a defensive stance in a line a few feet from the offending characters. The girls were stood behind them.

"That depends on you," spoke the man calmly, "we can be a lot more despicable if we need to be."

He held a flick knife out for everyone to see, then with the push of a button flicked it open.

"Are you serious? Like that's supposed to scare us?" snarled Duo, practically daring the man to take another step closer.

Heero glanced sideways, "Duo, shut up, don't provoke them," he urged quietly through grit teeth. He looked worried and was trying to figure out the best way to deal with the situation.

Ordinarily, all of the pilots would have just gone straight in and attacked as soon as they realised there was danger, but one of their party been captured which threw an entirely different light on the state of affairs. They all knew that hostage situations were much more delicate and tricky to deal with and that Fumio could get badly hurt before they had a chance to rescue him. Straight away they realised their enemy had the upper hand for the moment, and that they would have to proceed carefully.

The man began scraping the dirt from under his fingernails with the knife, as if he had all the time in the world. Fumio continued to struggle and kick as the posturing continued. More protests came from the girls;

"For crying out loud!" yelled Hilde at the man, "what the hell's wrong with you people? what do you want?"

The gang leader glanced sideways at the struggling boy. Then looked back to the group.

"Ain't nothin personal you understand," he replied in a dry, gritty, rather over-exaggerated voice, "the kid's just security for our, how shall we say? our upcoming business transaction."

Some the gang laughed quietly at their leader's comments. It was evident he hadn't used that particular narrative to describe a mugging before.

The five pilots remained silent, waiting for the right moment.

The leader, blissfully unaware of who he was dealing with, calmly took a final drag from his cigarette, and then flicked it across the car park.

"Hey, Genko!" he called to the large man holding the struggling monk, his stare remaining fixed on the group.

"Yes boss?" asked the man.

"When they've thrown over their wallets, their purses and any jewellery they wish to donate, you can let the kid go. Until then, you're the babysitter," he ordered.

"Right boss!" replied the huge man, turning his attention back to Fumio and grinning. He gave Fumio a slight shake, toying with him, causing him to struggle and choke again.

The gang leaders' words were clearly intended to double up as instructions to the group.

Wufei stepped sideways towards Heero. "Time is short, I can take out the two holding the knives, but you'll have to take out the big guy holding your brother," he whispered, "the other three can sort out the rest."

Heero's stare remained on Fumio. They had been in eye contact for the last few seconds. Wufei noticed him subtly signalling something with his hands.

"Not yet!" urged Heero in a whispered voice still looking at his brother, "Just wait,"

"But Heero!" Wufei tried to protest quietly.

"Trust me," insisted Heero, "just wait for my signal before you act."

Suddenly Fumio stopped struggling. He closed his eyes and held tightly onto his captor's wrists as he remained hung in the air, supported only by the two huge hands clamped around his neck. He seemed to concentrate hard as if summoning powers from within.

Moments later, the two knife-wielding thugs in front of him suddenly dropped to the ground, appearing to loose consciousness. Then the man holding him began staggering forward. He dropped Fumio and then also slumped to the ground. Several of the gang members looked on with confusion as Fumio made a bolt towards the Gundam group's position as if fleeing for his life. Two of the gang members immediately went after him, one of them seizing his arm. Fumio immediately span around and clamped his free hand tightly onto the man's forearm, a moment later the man also slumped to the ground.

The monk continued to run. The second gang member lunged forward and grabbed him around the middle lifting him off the ground, but again, he suddenly began to stagger and sway about. He too dropped the boy, but Fumio stumbled over as he hit the ground.

Before he had a chance to scramble to his feet, he glanced up to see the, now unconscious man, about to come crashing down on top of him. Fumio instinctively covered his face with his arms in a protective posture, bracing for the impact, yelling out in anticipation of the pain of being crushed by this rather large muscle-bound individual. But as the body came into physical contact with him, it was instantly thrown back into the air as if being repelled by some unseen force.

They had barely touched. Fumio stopped yelling and watched in astonishment as the man hurtled some thirty feet, through the air, landing in some bushes and then rolling onto the car-park surface.

It all happened very quickly.

"What the!" yelled the gang leader glancing back at the sudden commotion going on behind him and seeing the unconscious man flying through the air.

"Now!" yelled Heero suddenly rushing forward, and striking the rather startled thug to the ground with one well-placed blow. He turned to the next mugger on the left while Wufei took out the one on the right.

Instantly, the three remaining pilots lunged forward, quickly and skillfully putting down whoever challenged them. The remaining gang members looked panicked. Several of them dropped their weapons and ran. A couple stayed and stood their ground.

Fumio scrambled to his feet again and ran as fast as he could towards the girls who were Finally, back out of harm's way. They would have joined in, but quickly realised that in evening wear, their task would have proved a little tricky, and the boys quickly seemed to have things under control anyway.

"Are you okay Fumio?" asked

Noin rushed forward to meet him. The boy ran into her open arms.

"Are you okay?" asked, hugging him tightly.

He nodded, "Yeah," he replied, looking a little shaken.

Sally and Hilde were no more than a step behind Noin. All three girls fussed over him.

Fumio started holding a hand to his neck as if in pain.

"Let me see," urged Sally.

Fumio took his hand away allowing her to see. The skin on his neck and throat was reddened from where Genko had got a hold of him around the neck.

Noin sucked air in sharply through her teeth as she saw the damage.

"That looks sore," she commented, then looked up across to where the attack had taken place. "Those bastards," she cursed, "to think we fought in a war so people like that can have the freedom to do stuff like this."

"Does it hurt much?" asked Noin.

Fumio shook his head, "No it's fine, really, it's nothing, I really am okay," he insisted quietly, but looking grateful for their concern.

By now, the rest of the muggers had retreated, hastily taking their, now semi-conscious, comrades with them. Even the ones who had stood their ground swiftly changed their minds when they realised just how calm and in-control the Gundam boys appeared to be.

Duo, Trowa and Quatre turned around and headed back to where the girls and Fumio stood. Heero and Wufei remained standing ready for a short while longer, in case any of the gang changed their minds and decided to come back.

"You guys okay?" asked Quatre in a concerned voice as they hurriedly approached.

"Yeah, we're all fine here," replied Sally, "how about you?"

"All present and accounted for!" chirped Duo, almost sounding pleased with himself, "that's one point for the good guys, zero for the bad guys! Hey you really kept your cool back there Fumio, you should be proud," he said, "and that was a pretty neat trick you did with that big guy, and those others too," he observed cheerfully, "how on earth did you manage to throw that guy so far?"

Fumio was a little confused about that himself, and also a little worried. He realised that it was most likely his secret gifts at work again, and was something he was not allowed to talk about or reveal to the others.

He smiled nervously, "It was… it was just an old monks mind trick. It's kind of hard to explain," he replied, praying his answer would suffice.

Duo nodded. He realised there was a great deal more going on here than just some simple mind trick, but he could see Fumio's palpable anxiety about being asked to explain himself, so he chose not to push for more answers. He smiled and ruffled the boys' hair.

"Just glad you're okay kid," he said.

The others too were listening and were more than just curious about this small boy's ability to seemingly render fully grown men unconscious with just a simple touch, but they all followed Duo's lead, and the conversation was dropped for the time being.

Once Wufei was satisfied the Gang would not be returning, he turned and began walking back towards the others.

"You coming Heero? I think we're safe to assume they won't be back."

Heero glanced slowly back at Wufei. Eventually, he nodded. He seemed reluctant to let his guard down. Wufei stopped walking.

"You all right?" he asked, his tone a little concerned.

Heero looked at the ground for a moment and sighed heavily. Saying nothing he reluctantly nodded then turned and began walking very slowly back towards the group.

"Hey, nice work Heero, you too Wufei," commented Duo as they approached.

"Yes, you really showed them," added Hilde.

Heero listened but didn't comment. He seemed distracted. Fumio watched him as he approached. He knew straight away that something was deeply troubling him.

"Heero?" asked Fumio, his tone concerned, "are you okay? are you injured?"

Heero shook his head, "no, I'm okay," he replied in a subdued voice, "are you?"

Fumio nodded "yes, of course."

Heero stopped in front of his brother and paused for a moment. "I'm so sorry Fumio," he spoke quietly in a depressed tone.

Fumio looked a little confused. He cocked his head to one side, "I don't understand, why are you sorry? This wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I should have been much more vigilant, and I should have realised what was about to happen." He replied regretfully, "I made a promise to Lama Banai, and everyone at the monastery that I would look after you, that I would keep you safe and out of harms way." He sighed again and looked down at the ground, "but look what's happened."

"Heero, this really wasn't your fault," protested Fumio, gripping his hands onto Heero's forearms, his voice suddenly went quieter, "I know you're always worrying about me, but honestly, I'm really okay. There's no harm done. Please, don't blame yourself for what just happened."

"Yeah, don't beat yourself up about this Heero," suddenly added Duo, who had been listening, "the kid's right, none of us saw that coming. I guess it was just one of those things, you know, just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Heero sighed again and nodded. "Well, we got away with it this time, and for that I'm thankful, but, damn it!" he suddenly cursed, "what if things hadn't turned out in our favour?" He glanced back to Duo, then out across the car park to where the fighting had taken place. "This has got me seriously worried about the kind of risks we've taken by being out here, damn it!" he cursed again under his breath, then turned back to face Fumio.

"There are nearly fifty fighting-monks back at the monastery sworn to protect you with their lives if..." he paused, suddenly realising he was saying things out loud that the others should not be hearing.

Duo and Wufei looked at each other and raised an eyebrow as they listened.

"Well, you know what the score is Fumio," continued Heero, "they were anxious about you leaving the safe environment you already had. What the hell was I thinking? Taking you away from that?" Heero's voice began to grow troubled, "how could my own skills possibly compare to that kind of protection? It seems at the moment I can barely prevent a simple mugging by street punks, let alone, God forbid, something worse."

Duo stepped in, "Whoa Heero!" he gestured with his hands, "just take a deep breath, and get a grip man! You're blowing this way out of proportion, and you're being way too hard on yourself. Don't forget we're Gundam trained too, and none of us saw it coming either."

Heero wanted to argue further, but he couldn't. Neither Duo nor the others were aware of the mammoth secret he was guarding concerning Fumio's true purpose, and the huge significance the boy held in the grand scheme of the new era of peace they would soon be enjoying. They were not aware of the reasons behind the essential need for his security, and Heero could not risk them finding out. The implications of learning such knowledge could be disastrous.

Before Heero had a chance to respond, Fumio stepped in, "Duo's right Heero, please, don't get mad at yourself, don't feel bad about this," his small hands firmly gripping the underside of Heero's sleeves. "You really are blaming yourself for something that just wasn't your fault, remember the conversations we used to have about fate?"

Finally Heero gave in. He looked at his brother and gave a deep sigh, "Maybe you're right, I guess, perhaps, there are times when I can be a bit obsessed."

Fumio grinned, "What do you mean, a bit."

"Don't push it you!" replied Heero, pointing his finger and trying to look stern but unable to prevent the hint of a grin, "come on guys, let's get out of here."

The journey back to the Winner Mansion was quiet. Very few words were spoken. There seemed to be an air of slight resentment and frustration that such a great evening had been blemished by such a negative event, yet at the same time, there was a definite sense of victory and increased togetherness among the group. The old feeling of camaraderie that everyone had experienced during the war was back. Everyone in the group somehow felt just that little bit closer to each other, causing the bad feelings about the mugging, to melt away into insignificance.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Half an hour after returning to the mansion, Fumio had headed off to bed after seeming none the worse despite the earlier incident. The rest of the group remained downstairs in the lounge. The mood was quiet and reserved, and there was still a sense of annoyance that the attempted mugging had spoilt such a great evening.

Quatre and Hilde had made everyone a mug of hot chocolate. They all sat quietly in the lounge drinking. Despite everyone having many questions about what they had seen, there seemed to be a slight reluctance to talk about the events.

It was Duo who eventually broke the silence.

"Come on guys!" he chirped, "lighten up a little, we're acting like someone's died."

Quatre was quick to back his fellow pilot, "Yes, come on guys, this isn't like us at all. Whatever happened to the old comradeship?"

"Yeah," continued Duo, "I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good about kicking some genuine 'bad guys' butt tonight, now that's my kind of justice."

"You're missing the point Duo," stated Heero in an irked voice. "I still can't believe how we were all so off guard. They were just street punks for crying out loud! How the hell could they have outsmarted all of us like that? How have our skills become so dulled in just six months?" He sounded very annoyed with himself.

Sally leant forward and patted him on the knee, "Heero, I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but you're not a soldier anymore, you're a civilian just like the rest of us. It's inevitable that those finely tuned skills of yours will soon fade if you have no need to put them to use."

"Heero," piped up Noin, "I don't think there's any shame in being caught out like we were tonight, It was just one of those unfortunate facts of life that all decent people seem to have to live with."

Heero continued to look annoyed and perplexed. "Not this soldier!" he grunted, "no way, you may be prepared to let go of your skills, but not me!" he stood up quickly, "I'd rather die than become weak and fade away like that!" he grumbled, his voice agitated and gruff. He began marching towards the door.

"Hey, where ya going Heero?" asked Duo.

Heero stopped walking and paused for a moment, still looking towards the door. He gave a deep sigh and seemed to calm down a little. He glanced sideways at the group.

"I'm going to check on Fumio," he said, his voice now lowered. He continued towards the door and left the room.

By the time he'd reached Fumio's room, he'd completely calmed down.

He knocked quietly on the door and entered.

Fumio was in bed, already asleep. The desk lamp beside the bed remained switched on.

Heero's initial thoughts were to leave and avoid the risk of disturbing him, but instead, he found himself walking over and quietly sitting down on the chair next to the bed. He needed some time to think things through, and somehow, this seemed like the most appropriate place to do that.

He observed the sleeping boy for a moment. He was buried comfortably under the duvet with just his head peeking out. He was lying on his side, snuggled up to his pillow. He gave a contented sigh, as he appeared to drift deeper into a serene slumber.

"Well, he seems completely fine," Heero thought to himself, feeling a little more relieved.

Heero sighed and closed his eyes, allowing himself some time to try to address the multiple, nagging thoughts running around inside his mind, not least of which concerned the rest of the group witnessing first-hand Fumio's now, not-so-secret gifts.

He began to question if bringing him here was a good idea. So far it had seemed to entail nothing but one disaster after another. The episode with the storm and the broken window, the attempted mugging, all within the space of 24 hours. He wondered how much psychological damage the boy had sustained from it all.

He realised that Fumio was hardly in the most stable frame of mind in the first place. With so many traumas from his past and the additional burden and responsibility of the incredible and powerful gifts that were developing within him, Heero knew that things would always be tough, and Fumio would probably have to spend the rest of his life being resolute in his will to stay in control. Any let-up in his determination and he could be at risk of losing his mind.

As the thoughts mulled through his mind, Heero began to feel pangs of sympathy and a sense of sadness for his brother.

"He never asked for any of this," he thought silently in his head, "such a caring and benevolent kid, yet he's suffered so much? Why must he continue to suffer like this even now?"

Heero tried to imagine how he'd cope if he were the one in Fumio's shoes, only to figure out that even he, the supposed perfect soldier, would have a seriously hard time sustaining the high levels of determination and strong-will needed just to maintain his sanity.

After a few minutes of contemplating, Heero gave another sigh and slowly opened his eyes suddenly realising Fumio was staring back at him.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he whispered.

Fumio shook his head negatively, still lying on his side, "I was just listening," he whispered.

"Listening? to what?"

"Your thoughts," he replied softly, forming a smile, "you worry way too much Heero."

A slight, but compassionate smile formed on Heero's face. He nodded subtly. "I suppose I do," he admitted, nodding. He leant forward in his chair, "and so long as I have you to look out for, I guess I have every intention to go on worrying too much."

Fumio reached his hand out from under the duvet and placed it gently on Heero's forearm. "You're the best brother I've ever had," he whispered appreciatively.

Heero grinned, "I'm the _only_ brother you ever had."

Fumio smiled back.

Heero didn't look entirely convinced, "I think I'd be a better brother if I hadn't put you in harm's way tonight."

"You're still really troubled by what happened tonight aren't you?" said Fumio.

Heero sighed, "I can't believe how much I let my guard down. It frustrates me to see how stupid and irresponsible I've been." he replied, cussing at himself again, "you got hurt because I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing."

"Heero, stop it!" suddenly demanded Fumio, sitting up in his bed, "Just… Just stop it! Please!"

Heero suddenly stopped talking; looking a little surprised at the frustration Fumio was openly showing.

"You don't know how disheartening it is to hear you keep talking like this!" Fumio was beginning to show anger in his voice

Heero looked puzzled.

"It's not just about what happened tonight. You're always complaining about how badly you've done and that you should've done better and that you've let me down and that you've let others down, and it's just not true Heero! It has _never_ been true!"

It was clear that Fumio had wanted to say these words for a long time. "Heero, you've got to stop beating yourself up every time something doesn't go right, stop taking the blame for everything all the time. I hate it when you say and think things like that because it's always untrue."

Heero was a little speechless. He never realised that his comments and attitude had bothered Fumio so much. Ironically, his instincts were telling him to see this as yet another failure on his part. He wanted to respond but was finding it hard to conjure up the words for a suitable reply. Deep down, he realised Fumio was right; he did blame himself at every opportunity whenever things went wrong. His military training had conditioned him to be meticulous in his planning and to be prepared for the unexpected and to always have backup plans, but he was slowly starting to realise that ordinary everyday civilian life could not be lived in the same way.

He began to feel guilty that his attitude had become such a burden. Until now, he'd never realised that although he may have been looking out for Fumio, at the same time his pessimism was having such a negative influence.

Eventually, Heero responded quietly. "I'm sorry," he said, "I had no idea. No idea at all." There was nervous hesitation in his voice.

Sensing Heero's guilt, Fumio knelt up on the bed and without any hesitation, reached out to him, pulling him into a firm hug.

"Please don't feel bad Heero," he pleaded, "and you don't need to apologise, I know how difficult everything has been for you, adapting to civilian life."

Heero welcomed and returned his brother's heartfelt embrace.

"Thank you Fumio, and I'm gonna try to do better, okay? I promise" he whispered.

Fumio's tightened his hug, "I'm always here for you Heero, and I'll help you in any way that I can. You don't have to do this alone; we do this together, okay?"

A few minutes later, Heero had left his brother to sleep and wandered back downstairs into the lounge where everyone was gathered discussing the events of the evening. The others seemed to quieten as he entered the room; it was evident they had been discussing Fumio and the unexplainable things he had done.

He sat down on the sofa next to Noin. All eyes were on him.

He looked back at the stares and frowns, "What?" he asked, seeing the questioning looks etched on everyone's faces.

Duo seemed to be the one unofficially nominated to ask the question. He shuffled forward in his seat, looking at Heero uncomfortably and came straight to the point.

"So, come on Heero," he said, a slight apprehension in his voice, "what is it you're not telling us?"

Instantly Heero felt a heavy weight on his mind. In the light of all that had happened, he realised it was an inevitable question, but he hadn't the had time to decide how he'd handle it.

"What do you mean Duo?" he asked, in a somewhat denying look.

Duo sighed again, searching his mind for the appropriate words.

"Come on Heero; I think you know exactly what we're talking about," he suggested in a tone hinting that he wasn't stupid. "What Fumio did to those thugs earlier, you don't honestly expect us to believe that was just some clever mind trick do you?" Duo continued, "we all heard you say there was a whole bunch of monks sworn to protect him with their lives, although you were a little reluctant to mention why. It just leads us to wonder why a monastery full of fighting-monks would be willing to lay down their lives for just one little kid, I mean, I guess they've gotta think he's pretty special, right?"

Wufei added to the questioning, "Heero, we all watched him throw that punk across the parking lot; it must have been nearly forty feet," his tone of voice teetering on both puzzlement and annoyance.

"I've spent my entire life practising martial arts, and I've seen a lot of incredible stuff, but that, well, that went way beyond anything I've ever seen before." His voice became more agitated, "how can a seventy-pound kid throw a two hundred pound fully-grown adult 40 feet through the air? It's just not possible, at least not according to the laws of physics that I know."

The others in the room subtly nodded in agreement with Duo and Wufei's words.

"Which kind-of brings us back to the original question," Continued Duo,

"what is it you're not telling us about Fumio?"

Heero sighed tiredly and looked at the floor. "Damn!" he cursed quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. He knew he wasn't going to be able to shrug this off. He sighed again. "This has put me in a very awkward position," he said hesitantly. "you all witnessed something tonight that you were never supposed to see, and it's put me in a real position of conflict."

The others glanced questioning looks at each other.

" _Officially_ , I can't tell you anything about what you saw," continued Heero, "It's supposed to be completely secret." He paused for a moment, taking the time make eye contact with each of the group. "However, I also recognise that, after what you've all witnessed tonight, I can hardly expect you to go away from here and not talk about it, or discuss it with others."

He quickly began weighing up all the pros and cons in his mind before finally concluding that he had little choice. He was going to have to explain to the others about Fumio's gifts. At least in such a way that he could make them understand why what they saw must be kept secret.

"Okay," Heero murmured after another long pause, weighing up a final summary of whether he was doing the right thing.

"It seems I have little choice but to advise you about what you saw, but understand this; I am only going to tell you this so that you fully understand why you must _never_ discuss or reveal it to anyone outside this room." His voice was quiet but deadly serious.

"You have to understand the grave implications of this knowledge. Make no mistake; this information does not go beyond the eight of us, it does not go beyond these walls. You don't discuss it, you don't mention it, you don't write it down, you don't even comment on it, not to anyone, no matter how much you think you know or trust them.

"Okay, I believe that we get the idea Heero," remarked Duo.

Heero glared at him with a stern expression, "No Duo, you probably don't," he replied dryly, "do not be so flippant or casual about this. The only reason I'm even contemplating telling you is because I know you are all trained and have the ability to keep secrets of international importance. I'm taking an _immense_ risk doing this, and I'm only doing it to prevent you from discussing it in the outside world. You should also know that this knowledge carries the burden of bringing potential danger to your own lives. If it is even _suspected_ that you have such knowledge, you could become targets yourselves from forces you could not hope to fight against and win. You could be tortured and even killed for this information, so it is _imperative_ , for your own safety as well, that this knowledge remains top secret."

Heero cast his eyes around the room. The serious expressions on everyone's faces gave him some confidence that they were all taking this more seriously than they were a few minutes ago.

"Okay Heero, I think you've made it clear enough that we now understand the implications of this," assured Duo, now in a more serious tone.

"You'd better!" Heero replied sternly, "because one careless word, one single mention, one overheard conversation, and…" Heero paused for a moment, contemplating the consequences if the secrecy was broken. He gingerly continued, "It will be the equivalent of signing Fumio's death warrant. If this information gets out to the wrong people, Fumio will almost certainly be assassinated."

Everyone looked a little shocked. Until that moment, none of the group had truly grasped the gravity of just how serious it was. They could all see that Heero looked very nervous about telling them as he shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.

Quatre spoke up, "After what you've just told us Heero, I don't think any one of us could fail to honour this agreement," he assured.

There were nods from all around the room and comments of "absolutely," and "there's no way," all indicating total loyalty to Heero's request of secrecy.

Everyone by now was desperately curious to know the big secret that Heero had been hiding about Fumio. Heero nodded at Quatre and the others accepting their promise of loyalty. Still looking nervous, he began his explanation.

"This is something that is only known by the monks at Fumio's monastery who were all meticulously screened before being chosen to live there. They have all taken an oath of secrecy and a life commitment to serving…" he paused, realising he was getting way ahead of himself. He gave another deep sigh and back-tracked a little to start at the beginning.

"Yes, you were right Duo. The monks at the monastery, they do think he's pretty special," he said, keeping it simple. "They have a nickname they sometimes use to describe him."

The others looked on with interest; some sat further forward in their seats as Heero began to explain.

"What is this name Heero?" asked Wufei.

"Hikari no Tenshi Chiisai." He replied.

Wufei raised an eyebrow on hearing the words. He was quick to begin translating.

"Well, 'Chiisai' loosely means small or little, which makes sense because Fumio is so small for his age. I believe 'Hikari' is a reference to the light… but," he hesitated, "but 'Tenshi', That means 'angel'."

"Angel?" asked Sally, "so they call him 'little light angel'," she commented.

"I think it's more like 'small angel of the light' " replied Wufei.

"Oh that's so sweet," cooed Noin.

"It is kind-of sweet," suggested Sally, "but isn't 'Angel' more like a pet name? a referral you would usually use for a girl, rather than a boy?"

Wufei nodded in agreement.

Sally smiled slightly, "Unless of course they actually thought he really was some kind of real… life… oh my God!"

Suddenly Sally's voice sounded astonished and shocked. What had intended to be a light-hearted comment, suddenly took on an entirely different, much more serious meaning.

She looked at Heero, her face astounded, "Do you mean Heero, they actually think he's some kind of… Angel? For real!?"

The room fell silent, all eyes looking to Heero for some kind of explanation. He did not answer straight away; he continued to look at Sally, mulling over in his mind how best to respond to her and the others knowing he'd reached crunch time.

"They think he's more like a kind of… deity, or being of spiritual significance." his voice was calm but nervous.

The silence remained, and Heero instantly began to regret what he had just told his friends, realising what he was asking them to believe.

"Whoa! Now just hold on a minute here! Time-out people! Time-out!" called Duo shifting forward in his chair and signalling the letter 'T' with his hands. "Hey! Come on guys, let's just do a brief check-in to Hotel Reality here."

The others remained silent.

"Heck, Heero!" protested Duo, his voice sounding slightly annoyed, "I was expecting you to tell us that he'd had some kind of special training or something… not that he's, like, the next Messiah!"

A slight, but still nervous grin appeared on Heero's face.

"It's not quite as drastic as that Duo." he remarked.

"Oh yeah?" replied Duo, "then tell that to my goosebumps," he protested.

Heero continued, "All of the stuff you saw," he said, his voice still slow and nervous, "like with those muggers earlier today, none of it was anything to do with any training he's had. It all came from something he already has inside him."

The group continued to listen in jaw-dropped silence.

Duo suddenly stood up and began pacing around. "This is nuts! I mean, don't get me wrong Heero, Fumio is a great kid, I really like him a lot, but this? It's… It's… It's… Just so…"

" _Ridiculous_?" suggested Heero sounding like he'd had this conversation many times before. Duo stopped pacing and faced him.

"Well, frankly, Yes!"

Heero nodded, understanding where Duo was coming from.

Hilde spoke up, breaking the uneasy silence that had ensued again.

"Duo's right Heero," she said, "Fumio's a really sweet kid, we love him to bits, and yes, he does seem to have some unusual abilities, but, a deity? Heero? Seriously, come on?"

Sally piped up, backing Hilde's words. "Are you sure the Monks haven't just mistaken Fumio's obvious gentle and benign nature for something more than it is Heero?" she asked, "I mean, I can almost see why they might think what they do, and some of his abilities could easily be mistaken for more, _virtuous_ gifts, but what they are believing, surely, it can't be true. It's got to be a mistake, hasn't it?"

"Heero," added Duo, "Surely you've set them straight on a few things? Surely you've told them they must be mistaken?"

Heero looked at Duo but remained silent.

Moments later Duo nervously ran his hand through his hair, "Oh heck! I know that look." he said nervously, "You actually believe it _yourself_. Don't you, Heero?"

There was a long pause before Heero reluctantly nodded.

"It's insanely complicated, and I don't pretend to understand even half of the details." he replied tentatively, "but I think the monks believe his soul has a kind of tether connected to some type of spiritual entity that was a saint from a thousand years ago. They say that his spirit can enable him to focus the power of light into a physical form."

Several raised eyebrows met his words.

"Am I the only one who thinks perhaps those monks might have been burning the wrong kind of incense?" remarked Duo, still sounding unconvinced. "It all sounds so nuts Heero, the work of an active imagination."

"But then how can you explain what we saw earlier today Duo?" asked Sally.

"I don't know!" snapped Duo in reply, his voice now growing agitated, "but there's got to be a more reasonable explanation than the one suggesting he's channelling some God-like powers from a dead saint, which also sounds particularly creepy by the way."

"Heero, are you sure this isn't just some kind of by-product of the Gundam training, a bit like the running away thing?" asked Noin, "maybe something was affected in his mind by all that terrible stuff he was exposed to?"

Heero shook his head. "It's all a lot more authentic than that Noin," replied Heero, "his exact birth date was predicted over six hundred years ago, I have seen the original texts with my own eyes, and, I have seen what he can do with the power of his mind. I have no doubts anymore," he replied, now sounding a little more confident. "The monks spent many years trying to locate every child born on that specific day in their search for him." he added.

"Whoa! Wait a minute Heero," Interrupted Duo, "I don't get this, how come the Foundation got a hold of him and not the monks?"

"We all think it was just an amazing coincidence," replied Heero, "at the time, I do not believe the foundation knew of Fumio's more, _decided_ path. The unusual brainwave patterns they detected coming from him when they were screening for potential Gundam pilots were what made them select him, nothing else."

"So, what exactly are these mind powers Heero?" asked Quatre, "how do they work? how does he use them?"

Heero looked at the floor, thinking about how he would explain, "To be honest, I don't fully understand them myself, except that right now they are very powerful, and, in time, they will become fully developed and bigger than any of us could imagine."

"You mean these gifts are growing?" asked Sally.

Heero nodded, "As he grows, so do his powers."

"So that's how he threw that guy across the parking lot?" Sally asked.

Heero nodded, "I think so, but he didn't do it consciously."

"What do you mean?" asked Sally.

"He can control the power within him consciously when he focuses on it," explained Heero, "but also his powers seem to kick in automatically at times when they are needed, like tonight when he was in danger. He intentionally made those guys go unconscious himself, but he didn't repel that guy through the air, that was his powers reacting autonomously. It's as if they are looking after him somehow, protecting him. The monks understand a lot more about it than I do."

How powerful are we talking about Heero?" asked Quatre, "Was what we saw tonight the extent of these abilities?"

Heero looked at him with a blank expression, realising they had no true realisation of the sheer scales involved.

"Let me tell you about a little experiment the monks did when Fumio first joined the monastery" suggested Heero. "They took him out to a sparsely populated part of the country up near the north coast, where his actions wouldn't be witnessed, to allow him to practice and find out about his abilities, and to see what extent they had developed. For the very first experiment, they placed a rock on the ground to see if he could move or influence it in any way using only the power of his mind."

"Did it work?" asked Sally, "Could he move it?"

Heero hesitated for a moment, as their eyes met.

"You could say," he replied in a serious, monotone voice, "but it wasn't just the rock he moved. He inadvertently lifted a large area of forest about a quarter of a mile wide, off the ground. In the panic, he lost concentration and caused it to crash back down again causing a localised earthquake and a sudden and spectacular lightening display that travelled right across the northern coast, lasting for many hours.

There were subtle gasps of shock from everyone as surrealistic feelings dominated everyone's thoughts.

"It completely freaked him out. It was not long after his gifts had first begun to surface and it was the first time he had properly tried to use them."

"My God!" gasped Sally, "is that really true?"

Heero nodded, "Lama Banai explained the whole thing to me a few months ago. If I'm honest, it kind of freaked me out too. I know I've seen his powers in action, but never to that extent, and you have to realise, that took place four years ago; he's become much stronger since then."

Wufei looked horrified, "You mean he can't actually control these powers?" he asked sounding extremely concerned.

"Don't worry, he can now," reassured Heero, "but that incident shocked him so badly, that for about a year or two afterwards he utterly refused even to entertain the idea of trying to use them again. Only in the past couple of years or so has he begun to experiment with them once more."

"What made him change his mind?" asked Noin.

"It was mainly the other monks pressing him on the importance of learning to master them."

"So he can control them now?" asked Sally.

Heero nodded eagerly, "Absolutely, as he's grown older, his ability to be in charge of them has sort of come along naturally, although he can still have the occasional minor hiccup with them."

"So that means he's telekinetic" suggested Noin, "you know, being able to move objects with your mind."

Heero nodded. "Telekinesis is just one part of it, but there's so much more. I remember he tried to describe it to me once; he said he felt as if he was interacting with matter itself, being able to influence it with his mind and thoughts."

"So what does this all mean Heero?" asked Trowa, "what's it all for, what's the meaning of it all?"

"Well, according to the ancient texts, it is said that when his gifts are fully matured, he will have the ability to unite humankind in ways never considered before. Quite how he's supposed to do that, or in what way, I'm uncertain, but I'm sure he'll know what to do when the time is right."

The room remained silent. There was a certain unified numbness as everyone digested the incredible information Heero had told them. Many still wanted to doubt what he was saying, it all seemed so far-fetched and unrealistic that it was more like science fiction than reality, yet, every one of them knew deep down in their hearts that, what Heero was telling them really was the truth.

Duo remained sceptical. As he sat there, he was subtly shaking his head from side to side. "This is too much Heero," he gasped, still sounding a little annoyed, "do you realise what you're _actually_ asking us to believe?"

Heero stared back at him coldly, "I'm not asking you to _believe_ anything," he replied dryly, "I'm just asking you not to discuss it with _anyone_."

Suddenly Trowa shuffled forward in his chair and looked at Duo. He had been sat quietly listening to all that had been said.

"You know, ordinarily, I'd be inclined to agree with Duo. I'd be sat here thinking this is crazy talk."

"But, you don't think that, do you Trowa?" asked Hilde, in a tone suggesting he was about to surprise everyone. She had also been rather quiet during the past few minutes, trying to make sense of it all. Trowa shook his head, and all eyes fell on him as he delivered what could only be described as a 'testament'.

"Something extraordinary happened to me tonight. Something so unusual in fact, that I honestly believe what Heero has told us is true. I don't know if deity is the right description to use, but the nickname the monks gave him is worthy: small angel of light. I'm convinced Fumio is the real deal, the genuine article."

There were more looks of astonishment as everyone tried to fathom what extraordinary event Trowa was referring to, and why it had made him draw to such a decisive conclusion. Eventually, it was Wufei who asked him to explain.

"When we were dealing with those muggers earlier tonight, I managed to break two of my fingers when I knocked one of them to the ground. It was so stupid," he cussed sheepishly, "my fingers caught in the thug's jacket when I lunged forward with a strike."

Trowa held up his right hand pointing to his ring finger and pinky, "It bent them right back, and I felt the bones snap in both. The pain was sudden and intense."

Sally stood up and walked over to him, "You fool Trowa! Why didn't you say something?" she asked, gently taking his hand and examining it.

"I… I guess I was embarrassed," he reluctantly replied, sheepishly glancing up at her, "I was going to wait until we got back here and then see if I could reset the bones myself without making a big deal out of it. I guess I would have asked for your help Sal if I couldn't do it myself."

Sally tutted, but quietly empathised. She realised that, as a highly trained Gundam pilot, he was having a hard time explaining that something as simple as a mugging by street kids, had left him injured.

After carefully examining his hand, Sally could find nothing wrong.

"Well your fingers seem fine to me Trowa, are you sure they were broken?" she said.

Trowa nodded, "The pinky was bent outwards the wrong way."

His comments were met with sharp, pain-expressing squeamish intakes of breath from both Quatre and Hilde.

"But I don't understand," said Sally still scrutinising his fingers carefully, "they show no signs of being broken, although a scan might show something. How did you… oh boy!" Sally paused for a moment, "you're going to tell us that Fumio healed you, aren't you?"

Trowa looked into her eyes and slowly nodded.

The now familiar silence returned to the room.

"He instinctively knew," added Trowa, "I was in a lot of pain, but I was hiding it from everyone. That's why I was sat in the back seat on my own on the journey home. Yet, within moments of our journey beginning, Fumio clambered over and sat next to me. I have no idea how he knew."

"I remember him climbing over to the back seat of the car," said Noin, "I just figured he didn't want you to be sat on your own."

"That's what I thought too," added Wufei.

Trowa continued. "I had rested my injured hand on the seat beside me. Fumio came and sat on my other side and quietly held out his upturned palm, gesturing for me to show him my injury. He said nothing and the strange thing is, I was sincerely afraid of knocking it or touching it against anything as the pain was so intense, but, without a second thought, I brought my hand out and placed it into his palm. It was like my fear had left me."

The whole group were listening with utter fascination at Trowa's description.

"He just looked at me, smiled, told me not to worry, then the next few moments were kind of weird… I remember feeling an intense heat coming from his hand, not hot enough to burn, but very hot nonetheless. Then, moments later I remember seeing my finger straighten out all by itself. There was this kind of reddish, translucent glow coming from my whole hand for a few seconds, then, it was all over."

Trowa smiled as he thought more about it, "Ordinarily I think most people would have totally freaked out at seeing something like that, yet, I felt amazingly calm. There was no pain, no discomfort whatsoever."

"That was it?" said Duo, somehow expecting more, "your hand was fixed?"

Trowa nodded. "I didn't quite know how to react. Once I had established that my fingers were completely healed, I looked at him. I guess I must have looked pretty shocked, but all he did was smile at me and put a finger to his lips, gesturing for me not to say anything."

"Oh heck!" commented Duo, "now my goose bumps just got their own goose bumps."

Wufei, for the first time in a while, began speaking, he sounded concerned. "I just don't understand any of this," he said, "this is far too much power for _any_ single human being to wield. The potential for corruption or abuse is unfathomable! There is a wise and well-known saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely. What happens when he has a bad day, gets angry or throws a tantrum? The idea that he could wipe a whole city out with just a mere thought is absolutely terrifying, the stuff of apocalyptic nightmares!"

"I'm just glad that it's someone with a benign and compassionate nature like Fumio who has been given these powers and not some evil-minded psychopath." added Sally.

"Actually," said Heero, "that's not a coincidence Sally. For the record, I had exactly the same concerns as you do now Wufei, but I have since learned that there are safeguards built into the actual powers themselves that prevent them being used for any kind of the abuse or corruption that you mentioned."

Wufei asked him to explain.

"These are powers of pure light which means evil can not wield them. They can not be used for malicious intent. Only someone benign and unable to create original evil thoughts can carry this power. Fumio couldn't use them for anything bad even if he wanted to. You saw tonight how they protected him, without his conscious intervention, that's because behind these powers, I'm told, there is a kind of spiritual consciousness. It's hard to explain accurately, but it's like a moderator, a sort of filter that prevents the powers from being abused."

Wufei listened carefully to Heero's explanation. He nodded his head, acknowledging the new information, seeming relieved that his concerns were unwarranted, and that there was no danger.

"What I don't understand is, why all the secrecy Heero?" said Hilde, "if he's got all these powers protecting him, why is there such a threat hanging over him? why did you say he's as good as dead if this is found out?"

Heero sighed and shuffled forward in his seat. He knew he would have to explain this part carefully. This was the very reason that he had broken his oath of secrecy and told the others, so that they would fully understand the dangers and not gossip about it.

"As we speak Hilde, people are working around the clock, trying to track him down. If they find him, they only have one mission; to make sure he does not reach a stage where his gifts mature."

"You mean they want to, _kill_ him?" asked Noin hesitantly.

Heero gingerly nodded.

"Who are these people Heero?" asked Wufei, "can we do something about them?"

Heero shook his head negatively, "It's an underground fanatical movement who are not willing to entertain the political and philosophical changes that Fumio is likely to bring about globally once his powers and abilities mature. They have become a particularly potent threat. They have operational cells all over the world and are virtually impossible to track down. Fortunately, as far as we can tell, they have not yet found out who the holder of these powers is. They do not know it's Fumio. However, they only have to put a face to their target, and Fumio will have to go into hiding even more than he is now. This is why it's essential that his abilities remain a secret."

"But Surely, Fumio can use his powers to defend himself?" asked Hilde.

"We simply can't take that risk yet," replied Heero, "despite having these gifts, he's still very vulnerable. You've already seen that he can be injured. He can seem to heal others, but he can't seem to use the gifts on himself, at least not yet in any case."

The room remained silent as everyone continued to mull over all of the incredible things they had been told. Everyone had a thousand questions to ask, yet nobody seemed to know where to begin. The whole picture that Heero had painted upon their minds was dominating their every thought process.

The silence was deafening. One could almost hear the whirring of everyone's brains frantically calculating and analysing this mind-blowing information, desperately trying to make it connect in some way with their reality.

Heero was feeling tired and stressed. To his surprise, he was also feeling a little shaken up inside. He didn't realise how much breaking his oath of secrecy would affect him, and he began to question if he'd done the right thing. He knew that he couldn't let the others leave without making them understand the importance of maintaining absolute secrecy about what they had witnessed, so telling them seemed to be the most logical choice, but the voice of regret inside his mind was more dominant than ever. He couldn't help but feel he'd just placed Fumio's life into the hands of others, and the thought made him very uncomfortable.

He looked around the room at the questioning faces and quickly decided it was time to wrap things up. He really didn't want them asking any more questions.

He sat forward in his seat again and addressed the group.

"Guys," he said, his voice calm but tired, "I realise what I've told you tonight may seem a little wild and _out there,_ and I do appreciate what you're probably feeling right now. If it's any consolation, it took me weeks to get used to the idea myself." A subtle smile appeared on his face as he briefly reminisced back to the time where he had first gone to live at the monastery straight after the war. "Hell, I even accused the monks of being crazy and deluded," he commented.

"What made you change your mind Heero?" asked Sally.

Heero thought back some more to that time. "I watched him heal someone sick, real sick," was the short, somewhat unrevealing reply. "I guess that was my wake-up call."

Sally wanted to ask him more about it but didn't push it. She could clearly see from the look on his face he didn't want to discuss it any further.

"Look," continued Heero, "I'm not really that bothered about whether or not you _believe_ what I have told you. What does matter to me, is that you don't discuss this with anyone. You are ex-military, you all know about secrecy and how to maintain it, and I'm asking you, no, I'm _begging_ you, _please! Y_ ou _must_ apply those skills to this situation. I can't help but feel I've just placed my brother's life into other people's hands, and if I'm honest, it's scaring the hell out of me."

He paused for a moment, scanning his eyes around the room, meeting the eyes of each of the others. He sighed and lowered his voice, "I know I can trust each and every one of you with my life, I'm hoping it can be the same for Fumio."

As he continued to look into the eyes of each of the group, he was acknowledged one by one with a subtle nod or gesture. Although no words were spoken, within those simple looks came an assurance from each and every person, indicating beyond any reasonable doubt, that Heero had their total and unreserved loyalty.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

After such a late night, it was gone seven AM before Fumio woke up.

He dressed into his dark blue jogging bottoms and white t-shirt and headed downstairs. None of the others appeared to be up, but on reaching the kitchen he found Heero sat quietly at the table with a mug of coffee in front of him.

"Good morning Heero" he chirped, smiling.

Heero looked tired. He nodded, then gestured for Fumio to sit down as he had something important he needed to discuss.

Quietly, Heero explained about what he had told the others the night before, and that Fumio's gifts were no longer a secret to them. At first, Fumio seemed a little surprised, as it was something Heero was always so vehemently guarded about, but when he explained his reasoning, it began to make more sense. Fumio agreed that his brother had little choice but to tell them. He was also somewhat relieved and could feel an invisible weight lifting from his shoulders; he had truly hated keeping the others in the dark. No matter what reasoning Heero and the other monks had given him about not telling anyone, he had still felt like a fraud. Lying was not something he did easily, or willingly. At times during the past few days, he'd felt so awful and deceptive that he could barely look them in the eye, particularly Wufei and Noin, both of whom had shown him so much kindness.

A short while later, after thanking Heero for telling him, Fumio left the house and headed off down the huge lawn towards the lake. He had decided to do some exercise and perhaps meditate by the water for a while.

It was going to be another beautiful day. The bright morning sun made him squint as he stepped out from the shadow of the mansion building and onto the slightly dew-damp grass. The air was fresh, but not cold and he could feel the heat of the sun warm his back as he calmly meandered his way down the lawn. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling good.

A broad smile appeared on his face as he opened his eyes again and looked ahead to the vast snow-peaked mountain range that lay ahead on the distant horizon. The mountains were radiating the stunning shades of blue and pink that could only be seen in nature early in the morning.

"This is just beautiful," he thought quietly to himself, "I am so privileged and lucky to be here." He felt exhilarated as he continued to absorb the splendour and sheer magnificence of his surroundings.

As he neared the lake, he caught sight of a figure stood animatedly on the far side of the boathouse. The person was dressed all in white and facing out across the plains towards the mountains; it was Wufei. From his slow, smooth scrolling movements Fumio could see he was performing a Tai Chi routine.

Less than a minute later the young monk was stood silently not far away from his Chinese friend. Uncertain if the closed-eyed Wufei knew he was there, Fumio began moving synchronously in time, joining him in the moving meditation.

They continued the routine for a few minutes before Fumio suddenly sensed something intrusive within his mind. He stopped the routine and looked towards the Chinese boy.

Wufei was still doing the Tai Chi movements but was now staring silently at him, his face frowning and serious. There was no nod of greeting or acknowledgement.

Fumio suddenly looked troubled.

"Wufei?" he gasped quietly, "you're… you're mad at me, aren't you?"

Wufei did not respond immediately; he continued to make the long sweeping movements with his hands, continuing to look sternly at Fumio.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Was it fun?" he asked, his voice suggesting real annoyance, even anger.

Fumio cocked his head to one side, "I don't understan…"

"Was it fun!" he snapped again, interrupting the boy, his voice now showing real anger, "did you enjoy playing your little game of messing with my mind?"

Fumio stared back in shocked silence.

Wufei stopped moving and lowered his arms.

"Did you get some kind of kick out of it?" he growled, "playing me for a fool like that!"

Fumio tried to respond, but in his shocked state, he struggled to find the right words; "But, but, but, I…"

"Leading me through the meditation ritual like that," snapped Wufei, "all that effort, making me think we'd achieved something amazing?"

Fumio began to grow anxious, "But it was real, all of it!" he pleaded innocently.

"How the hell am I supposed to believe that now!" barked Wufei, "Damn it! How could I have allowed myself to get conned like that? I thought we had achieved something special, that we'd really pushed the boundaries to a level I never thought possible, but then all the time it was just you. You influenced my mind with those _powers_ that Heero told me about last night; you just manipulated me."

Fumio was now looking a little distressed. "But Wufei, please!" he pleaded, "you don't understand, It wasn't like that at all! we really did…"

"Forget it! I'm not interested!" snapped Wufei, interrupting him again.

The angry Shenlong pilot turned and began to storm away, heading back towards the house. "You've made a fool and a mockery of me. I don't understand or care about whatever these powers are Fumio," he snarled as he walked, "if they make you manipulate people like this, then they can be nothing more than a curse!"

Fumio followed alongside him for a few paces, desperately trying to think of something to say back, to respond, to let Wufei know that he'd got it completely wrong, but the words just would not come.

Wufei began to quicken his pace more, then, realising Fumio was following him, he quickly spun around and raised his voice again, "Just stay away from me Fumio! Do you hear me?" he gestured angrily with his arm, "Just leave me alone!"

Fumio stopped and stood silently in dumbstruck shock, watching Wufei angrily marching back towards the house. He wanted to call out, to reply, to say something, but his brain just wouldn't engage. He opened his mouth to call, but all that emerged was a fretful whimper.

He was shocked and saddened to the core. This reaction was something he was not expecting. He stood there, desperately saddened, with tears welling in his eyes, watching the white-attired figure marching fiercely away from him. He felt wretched, his insides knotting and twisting with the profound shock and sadness he was now feeling.

"He really _hates_ me," he gasped quietly to himself, "is this what is going to happen whenever people find out about my powers?" He thought about it some more, "Does this mean that the others all hate me now too?" the thoughts sent shivers up his spine as he began to feel sorrowful, heartbroken and isolated.

As his young mind tried to make sense of Wufei's reaction, terrible thoughts of life in complete isolation began to dominate his feelings. He realised that Wufei was the first person outside the monastery he had encountered who had been given the knowledge of his powers, and his response was obviously not a good one.

"And we were friends," he thought silently to himself, "what about people who hardly know me, how will they react? I guess it could be a lot worse."

As thoughts of his potential isolated future life began flooding his mind, he began to feel a little panicked. Thoughts of running away there and then began to enter his mind. Should he just make himself disappear forever? Should he melt away into society and try to lead a regular life, or should he just head back to the monastery and abolish any ideas of ever leaving it again?

As he stood there near the lake, he felt pinned to the very spot where he stood, unable to move in either direction. He couldn't go back to the house in case everybody hated him, and he was in for a terrible, hostile reception, yet he couldn't turn and leave either. Deep down, he knew that, even if no one else liked him anymore, Heero would be frantic if he disappeared, and Fumio cared about him far too much to put him through that.

He was trapped.

Unable to move, Fumio gave a disheartened sigh and slumped to the ground where he stood, sitting cross-legged on the grass, slouching his head forward with great sadness. The day had barely begun, and already he wished for it to be over.

Back in the Mansion, the usual morning routine was unfolding; everyone was converging in the kitchen for breakfast and discussion about any planned events for the coming day.

Most of the group were up. Duo was the last one to enter the room.

"Morning Duo," greeted Quatre cheerfully as he entered.

"Hey guys," was the tired response from the yawning American.

He looked at the large china teapot in Quatre's hand.

"Tea?" asked Quatre.

Duo nodded and yawned again, "Please."

Moments later, Quatre was acknowledged with a grateful nod as he handed him a mug of the refreshing brew.

"So, who's been upsetting Wufei then?" commented Duo quietly after taking a sip.

"What do you mean?" asked Sally, who was perched up against one of the work surfaces.

Duo cupped his hands around his mug to warm them and took another sip. "I mean he just stormed past me upstairs like he's been in a fight or something. He looked really cheesed off."

"I haven't seen him at all today," Suggested Quatre.

"Me neither," added Noin and Trowa simultaneously.

"I thought he was still in his room," suggested Hilde, "I didn't think he'd come down yet."

Duo shrugged his shoulders, "Well, maybe it's just me that's wrong then," he suggested.

"Oh! I've just remembered," suddenly spoke Quatre changing the subject, "who's still on for the horse riding this afternoon? It's just that I need to confirm numbers and phone ahead to the stables to let them know how many horses to prepare."

He pulled a notepad and pen from one of the kitchen drawers.

"Sal, I know you were keen about it."

Sally nodded her head, "Yup, still am, Count me in Cat." she replied, "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too Cat," Piped up Noin, "It's been a while, but I'm looking forward to going."

Quatre acknowledged her with a nod and jotted another note down onto his pad. "Okay, can we have a show of hands? Who else is coming along?"

Trowa raised his hand.

"So, how many horses do you have Quatre?" asked Sally with her hand also raised, she also subtly waved it as she asked her question.

Quatre continued to scribble notes down on his pad.

"We have twenty-three registered to the Winner mansion, although, we keep them at the stables a little further down the road from here."

"But you've got stables here Cat," suggested Noin, "what's the point of having stables if you're not going to use them?"

"The stables here do get used, but they are not suitable for the long-term accommodation of the horses," he replied. "They are not heated, and we have no full-time staff to take care of them, so we only tend to use the stabling here for weekend events and the occasional overnight stay. The other stables are state-of-the-art, and they have many staff who take very good care of the horses."

Quatre peeled his view back to the room, "How about you two? Hilde? Duo?"

Duo looked up at his Gundam friend, with a slightly disturbed look on his face. "Well, If it's all the same Cat, I think I'd prefer to stick to a mode of transport that doesn't have a mind of its own." a smile appeared on his face.

Hilde stood beside him nodding, "I'm afraid I'm actually with Duo on this one," she commented, backing him up, "I've never ridden before either, it's just something I've never really fancied doing."

"Oh come on you two, It'll be fun!" suggested Noin, "there's nothing quite like the thrill of running cross country with the wind in your hair and the sound of galloping hoofs beneath you. Why don't you give it a try? It's fantastic fun."

Duo looked at her unconvinced, but she could sense the number-crunching going on inside his head, she could see he was actually starting to think about it.

"I won't pressure you guys either way," added Quatre, "but we do have a couple of cobs that we use for beginners, they have wonderfully gentle temperaments. I can make sure you get assigned to them. You wouldn't have to do anything, just sit in the saddle and enjoy the ride, they'll just follow the rest of the horses."

By now, even Hilde was looking more optimistic. After mulling it over and some hopeful looks from the others, she decided to throw caution to the wind,

"Oh what the heck!" she said tugging at Duo's arm, "come on Duo, it sounds like this might be fun after all."

Duo looked at her then back at Quatre, "Well, as long as you promise I don't end up with some twisted psycho horse from Hell, then, yeah, come on then, let's go for it."

Quatre smiled, "Don't worry guys, I promise to ensure your first riding experience will be an enjoyable one." he chirped as he scribbled more notes down on his pad.

He turned to the Japanese boy still sat at the table.

"Heero? What about you and Fumio? I assume you're both still coming along?"

Heero hadn't been taking much notice of the conversation, for some time he had been staring across the room out of the rear-facing windows. He could see his brother sat down at the far end of the gardens and knew something wasn't right.

As soon as Duo had mentioned about Wufei appearing angry, Heero had quietly been putting two and two together, and had quite accurately hypothesised about what had happened.

"Heero?" urged Quatre once again, breaking Heero from his contemplation.

Heero looked up, "Hmm?" he replied, breaking from his staring.

"You and Fumio? You're both coming out on the horses with us today aren't you?" he reiterated.

"Oh… yeah, count us in," he replied quietly, still looking a little deep-in-thought.

"You okay Heero?" asked Noin.

Heero sighed and nodded, gesturing to shake-off his dozy state of mind, "Yeah, sorry, I was miles away, just thinking."

"What about Wufei?" continued Quatre, "Duo, did he genuinely seem miffed, or did you just catch his 'I always look like this in the morning' face?"

"No, I'm sure he was pretty annoyed about something," replied Duo.

"I'd better go and talk to him," suggested Sally, putting her empty coffee mug on the kitchen table and heading for the door.

"To be honest Sal, I don't think that's a good idea. I really wouldn't disturb him for a while. Maybe you should let him cool off for a bit."

Sally thought about Duo's words for a moment then shook her head, "I hear what you're saying Duo, but I'm afraid with Wufei, there never really is a cooling off period. He'll be like this until whatever is bothering him gets fixed." She continued through the door and headed upstairs for Wufei's room.

Quatre looked back at the notes he'd made on his notepad, "Hmmm, well, I'll include him anyway," he suggested, adding in more scribble.

"I have to make a phone call, can I suggest that everyone should be ready to leave here for the stables at, say, one O'clock?" he , in a general address to the rest of the group. Several heads nodded in agreement.

"Okay, great. I'll make the call," smiled Quatre.

Some ten minutes later, Sally emerged from Wufei's room. She closed the door behind her and gave a tired, almost frustrated sigh.

"It didn't go well then?" asked Heero, referring to Sally's argumentative, if somewhat muffled voice he had heard through the closed door.

Sally quickly turned round to see Heero sat opposite the door in one of the several chairs dotted along the giant corridor feeding to the main bedrooms.

"Heero? Why are you sat there?" she asked in a surprised tone.

Heero shrugged, "Well, Knowing what Wufei could get like during the war, I figured it wouldn't hurt to be, you know, _on-hand_." he replied standing up.

They began to amble back down the corridor together.

"That was sweet of you Heero, but it really wasn't necessary, Wufei's not a monster you know."

"I know," he nodded, "but after you had left, Duo suggested he looked a lot angrier than he'd first implied. So, what's up with him?"

Sally sighed again, "Oh! He can be so stubborn sometimes!" she commented in a frustrated voice. "It's your brother Heero, since you told us those things last night, you know, about Fumio's strange abilities, Wufei's got it into his head that the meditation ritual they did the other day was a big con. He thinks Fumio manipulated his mind to make him feel the way he did afterwards, you remember when he was on such a high?"

Heero nodded, understanding what Sally was telling him. Her explanation confirmed exactly what he suspected.

He shook his head negatively, "There's no way Fumio would have done that, not in a million years, and I can tell you that for a fact," he explained. "Firstly, he's a total nit-picker when it comes to form and tradition, it's the be-all and end-all of life in the universe as far as he's concerned, he would never allow anything to change that, ever."

Sally listened quietly, absorbed by Heero's explanation.

"And secondly, the very night before the ritual, Fumio had made a solemn promise to me that he would not consciously use his gifts in any way during the time he was away from the monastery. Obviously, last night with those thugs was an exception, but I know he would never knowingly break a promise, especially one to me."

Sally nodded, agreeing, "Well, I've tried to reason with Wufei. I believed all along Fumio wouldn't have done anything like that, but Wufei isn't having any of it. His mind was adamant that's what happened, and there's nothing I could say or do that could convince him otherwise."

She glanced sideways and looked Heero in the eye, "Why don't you talk to him Heero, set him straight on a few things. They'd become such good friends; it would be such a shame if they parted company like this."

Heero nodded, mulling over Sally's suggestion.

"It would be sad, but," Heero thought carefully about his words, "this is something Fumio is going to have to deal with himself Sal," he suggested, "I suspect this won't be the only time he'll have to deal with this kind of situation. If I go running to the rescue every time, he will never learn to cope on his own."

Sally looked a little saddened, "I understand what you're saying Heero, but it's just so unfair, Wufei's being so unreasonable."

Heero nodded, agreeing with her. "Life is unfair sometimes, and I do agree with you Sal, but Fumio needs to turn this situation around by himself, and if he does, just think what he'll gain from it."

Sally nodded, reluctantly agreeing with him.

They continued their stroll back downstairs.

As Heero and Sally reached the main hallway, they passed Quatre who enquired once again about Wufei's intentions regarding for the horseriding.

"Don't worry Cat, he'll be going too." confirmed Sally.

Quatre nodded and continued on his way to where he was heading.

"How did you manage that?" enquired Heero.

"I didn't give him a choice," Sally grinned, "I put on my best 'scary mother voice', told him he was acting like a child and threatened to put him across my knee if he didn't pull himself together."

Heero laughed out loud, "You mean he actually _believed_ you?"

Sally nodded, "I've never seen him look so embarrassed. He might seem a bit reluctant, but he'll be there," she grinned.

Heero continued to laugh.

"All I can say Heero, is if we ever get into an argument," said Sally, waving a finger at him, "just don't ever try to have the last word."

After Breakfast, Hilde and Duo had decided to take a stroll through the grounds together. Until now, neither of them had taken the opportunity to explore their picturesque surroundings, a failing they now hoped to correct.

A few minutes into their walk, they reached the lake and spent some time admiring the various nesting birds on and around the small tree-filled island in its centre. Eventually, they continued on their way, meandering arm-in-arm around the edge of the lake, intending to walk one of the rough paths that led into the nearby forest.

As they passed the boathouse, Hilde glanced to her right and suddenly spotted Fumio. The boy was sat huddled with his back against the side of the wooden-slatted building, his arms wrapped around his knees. The large building dwarfed his tiny frame.

He stared out ahead, seemingly oblivious to their presence.

"Duo," whispered Hilde, she tugged on his arm and pointed silently. They stopped walking.

Duo observed him for a moment and quickly sensed that something wasn't right.

"Hey? Fumio?" he called gently, "you okay kid?"

Fumio suddenly seemed to snap out of his staring ahead. Realising he had company, he quickly wiped each of his eyes with the heel of his hand, sniffing, then looked across.

"I'm okay," he called, his voice squeaked unintentionally.

Hilde and Duo looked at each other, both realising he was upset. They broke from their arm-in-arm link and walked over to him, crouching down beside the pint-sized boy. He looked up at them his eyes a reddened and watery, evidence of recent tears.

"Hey," said Duo in a semi-whispered voice, "C'mon kid, it's okay. What's wrong? Why are you hiding yourself away up here?"

"Yes, we've all been a bit worried about you Fumio," suggested Hilde, "especially after what happened last night."

Fumio looked up at her a little surprised. "You've been _worried_ about me?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Hilde nodded, smiling, "Of course."

"You mean, you don't… _hate_ me?"

Hilde and Duo looked at each other, taken aback.

"Whoa!" spoke a surprised Duo.

"Oh, Fumio!" gasped Hilde, suddenly moving and sitting right beside him. She reached an arm around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, "Why on earth would we hate you? Of course we don't hate you, we _love_ you." she urged.

Duo sat close on Fumio's other side forming a slight group huddle.

"Why would you say such a thing?" asked Hilde, "what possible reason would we have to hate you?"

Fumio looked sheepishly at the ground, "I know what Heero told you about me last night." he replied quietly.

"About your special gifts?" asked Duo, in a slightly confused tone, "so why would that make you think we hated you? I actually think they're really cool."

Fumio peeled his view towards Duo, but couldn't bring himself to look him in the eyes.

"Wu… Wufei." He replied hesitantly.

"Ah, so this is Wufei's doing?" replied Duo, suddenly starting to sound a little vexed, "why am I not surprised?"

Fumio continued, "We were good friends, but since he found out, he really hates me."

Hilde gave his shoulders another squeeze, "What did he say to you?" she asked, "what made him act like that?"

Fumio looked guiltily down again; Hilde could feel his shoulders droop as he began to explain.

"He thinks I used my gifts to manipulate him when we did the meditation ritual." he replied almost in a tearful whisper, "he thinks I messed with his mind."

"Did you mess with his mind?" asked Hilde.

Fumio shook his head, "Absolutely not!" he implored, finally looking up into her caring eyes, "I'd never do anything like that, not ever!" his voice almost pleading for her to believe him.

Duo leant his head back against the wall of the boathouse, looking up. "So, let's see," he sighed as he tried to get it straight in his head. "Wufei was probably the first person you saw this morning who had been told about your gifts last night. You saw his, obviously very bad reaction, and so, of course, naturally, you figured that all of our reactions would be the same."

Fumio dropped his head and looked at the ground again. "When you put it like that, it seems a bit silly now," he replied awkwardly.

"No, it doesn't," protested Hilde, jumping to his defence "how on earth were you supposed to know any differently."

"Damn!" cursed Duo, "Wufei can be such an _idiot_ sometimes! Maybe I should have a word with him."

"No Duo San!" suddenly urged Fumio, "Please, you mustn't! Please don't say anything to him, it will just make things worse."

Duo sighed, "Well, okay kid if you insist, but if he gets off-hand with you again, some of us may feel obliged to get involved."

"Don't worry Fumio," said Hilde, "you haven't done _anything_ wrong, and it sounds to me like there has just been a misunderstanding," she reassured him. "Wufei's a great guy, but he can get a bit eccentric at times."

"I don't know about eccentric," snapped Duo, "He's being an idiot, that's what he's doing. But I guess you'd better stay out of his way for a day or so, till he's had the chance to calm down, and realise how dumb he's been."

"That might be a good way to approach it actually," added Hilde, agreeing with Duo's suggestion.

Fumio nodded, understanding.

"In the meantime," she spoke quietly, "The rest of us still hope, very much, that you'll come horse riding with us later this afternoon."

Fumio nodded, agreeing he would still attend.

They remained quiet for a moment in their group huddle. Hilde was still hugging the boy. He seemed to draw great comfort from being held in the caring embrace. She pressed her cheek gently into Fumio's hair,

"We think the world of you Fumio, all of us do," she whispered, "and I'm sure that includes Wufei too. You don't ever need to think things like this again. Okay?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

It was just after one O'clock when Quatre's large four wheel drive vehicle pulled into the car park of the equestrian centre, sited less than a mile further along the road from the Winner mansion.

Everyone was on board, including Wufei, who seemed to have lightened up a little, although he was making every effort to stay out of Fumio's way.

Fumio had pondered several times about trying to talk to him but figured that it just wasn't the right time yet. The others, including Heero, had managed to engage in light conversation with Wufei but had all steered clear of any comments concerning the events of earlier that morning.

As everyone disembarked, They were greeted by the owner Andrew MacDonald, an old friend of Quatre's father, and now, of Quatre.

"Ach, is good te see ye again Master Quatre." spoke the oldish, grey-haired man in a very broad Scottish accent, "Tis been a wee while."

Quatre warmly smiled as they shook hands.

"Hello again Andrew, Good to see you again my friend. How's Mary? I trust she's well?"

"Oh, aye, she's fine" he replied, "she's away today, she was sorry she was gonna missed ye."

"Well, I'm sure we'll catch up another time," replied Quatre.

The Scottish man looked towards the Gundam gang all now milling around next to the vehicle.

"Well, I'm sure ye'll all be eager to get started," he commented, "Everything's ready as ye asked. Will ye be needing any assistance with ye friends?"

Quatre shook his head slightly, "I'm sure we'll be fine, but thank you for the offer."

"Aye, well, I'll leave ye to it then," he replied, turning to walk away "if ye need anything, I'll be arooound, jest come and find me."

Andrew waved as he walked away towards one of the many farm buildings nearby.

"Come on then Guys, we're over here," said Quatre, leading the way towards an unusually large stabling area. Moments later they were all stood on fresh-smelling straw in the doorway of a huge, clean and well-lit barn.

The barn was divided into individual stables around the inner walls with a large open area in the centre. Several large air-conditioning units mounted in the roof, purred quietly, keeping the temperature inside to a comfortable level.

"Wow, seriously nice stabling," commented Noin, "are these all your horses Cat?"

Quatre nodded, "Yes, there are fifteen in this barn and eight in the other one." As he spoke, he seemed a little distracted, scanning his eyes around the building to each of the stable doors, some of which had horses leaning out of them. He took a few steps inside the barn. The others followed him in.

"Hanaan... Hanaan!" Quatre called out gently using his Arabian accent.

Suddenly, an excited whinny could be heard from one of the horses on the far side of the barn. Moments later, a large white, and particularly spirited horse appeared at one of the stable doors. On sight of her, Quatre's face lit up with a beaming smile.

"Hanaan, _there_ you are!" he gasped quietly as he hurried over towards her. The others followed curiously a little way behind him.

As he walked across the barn, the large beast seemed to recognise him. She danced and hopped excitedly as he approached until he reached her.

Saying nothing, Quatre very slowly reached out his hand. Instantly the beautiful beast calmed down, and became almost motionless, then gingerly began to inch her nose forward as if eager to meet with his touch.

The beaming smile never moved from Quatre's face as slowly, tenderly he touched his hand onto her nose. "Hello again old friend," he whispered as he began to stroke her, "sorry it's been such a long time." He leant forward and kissed her on the nose.

"Err, would you like us to leave you two alone?" asked Duo humorously, interrupting the reunion.

Quatre quietly chuckled and turned around to face the others, "Sorry guys, I just haven't seen her in a while. I really do miss her sometimes."

Noin stepped closer, reached out a hand and began to gently pet the creature, "She's beautiful Quatre," she commented, "she looks like an Arabian."

Quatre nodded, "She is," he replied, still gently rubbing his palm on her nose, "most of my horses are Arabian."

"Is she your favourite?" asked Sally.

Quatre nodded, "She's my personal horse. Her name is Hanaan; it means compassion. She's exactly the same age as me; we were born on the very same day."

He reached up and rubbed her ears for a moment, "She was given to me by my father when I was three, and we've quite literally grown up together." He turned around to face the others again and smiled clemently, "She's one of the family."

Hilde stepped forward and also gently reached out a hand up to the beast's nose. "I've got to say Cat, even though I've never been a horsey person, she is magnificent and gorgeous."

"She has the spirit of a true Arabian," added Quatre dreamily, "she can outrun the wind, yet, she has a heart as big as the ocean. She can be so gentle and good-natured; she's one in a million."

He leant forward and pressed the side of his face against her nose, "Don't worry Hanaan, I'll be back in just a short while," he whispered quietly to her, then pulled away, turning to face the others, now looking at him with mixed expressions.

Quatre suddenly felt a little self-conscious of his slightly over-the-top actions. "Right then!" he suddenly grinned, realising that it was probably a good time to move on. "Let's get you guys sorted out shall we?" he said with renewed sparkle in his voice.

He walked to one side of the barn and picked up a clipboard that had been left on a hook on the wall. On it, was a sheet of paper telling him who had been assigned to which horse, and where each horse was located.

The others gathered around him.

"Okay, follow me guys," he said as they wandered towards the first stable.

"Noin, this is your assigned horse for the day," he said still looking down at the information from his clipboard, "this is Raad. He's an eight-year-old gelding, thirteen point two hands high."

As he spoke a chestnut coloured horse with a white stripe down his nose poked his head curiously out of the door and peered at the gathering of people.

"Hello boy," said Quatre reaching up and patting him gently, finally looking up from his clipboard.

"Raad means Lightning, by the way. He's pretty fast, but not too boisterous; you think you'll you be able to handle him okay?" he asked.

Noin had a huge grin on her face as she looked up at the beast, "He's lovely Cat," she reached forward and stroked the creature's forelock, "yeah, I think we're gonna get along just fine."

Quatre nodded, "Great, he's already been saddled up for you, so he's all yours, ready to roll."

Noin opened up the stable door and lead the beast out into the open area where eagerly she climbed on.

"Okay, who's next," said Quatre looking down his list, "Ah yes, Heero."

The group followed quietly as Quatre made his way to the next Stable along.

"I've heard some impressive things about your horsemanship from Relena, so I figured you'd get on just fine with our next introduction."

Duo chortled, "Introduction? You make it sound like a dating agency Cat," he commented.

Quatre looked up grinning, " Well I guess we are all about to go on a sort-of joint first date," he joked.

They came to a halt outside the second stable. Another chestnut coloured horse peered curiously out of the door. She was fidgety, her head twitching and always moving around. She snorted loudly.

"Heero, meet Alhawa, your… 'date' for the day." he grinned, "A thirteen-year-old mare. Fifteen hands high, her name simply means the wind. She's okay, but can be a bit of a handful to control at times, are you going to be okay with her?"

Heero took a quick look at her and then looked back to Quatre, "Yeah, she'll do fine Cat," he replied, nodding in appreciation.

"Great! Another satisfied customer," he joked as he ticked another box on his clipboard. "Okay, let's move on."

He led the group along to the next stable and paused outside, gesturing for the others not to stand too close to the door. Inside, they could see a large, jet-black Mare. On hearing Quatre's talking she turned around, thrust her head out of the upper door and whinnied loudly, almost violently, bearing her teeth and snorting. Several of the group jumped back nervously; they could almost see the fiery spirit swirling within her shiny jet black eyes.

"Folks, this is Yatimah," continued Quatre, "all I can say is, if you value your lives, make sure you keep well away from her."

The others observed her some more from a cautionary distance. Constantly, she fidgeted, whinnied and snorted. She was restless to the core.

Quatre sighed, "It's such a shame," he commented, "she really is a beautiful horse, but she's impossible to control. She's so fiery, and there's nobody here crazy enough to even attempt to ride her."

Quatre suddenly looked a little saddened. "We've tried absolutely everything, but she just won't let anyone near." He paused for a moment and sighed again, "She's worth a fortune, she's a thoroughbred down to the last gene, but unfortunately, it looks like we're going to have to sell her on."

"How much is she worth Cat?" enquired Trowa.

"I'm not exactly sure at this time, but we're talking many millions easily."

There were gasps of surprise from some of the group.

"Are the others very valuable as well Cat?" asked Sally, now suddenly a little nervous at the prospect of being entrusted to an animal worth a lifetime's salary.

"Some of them are, but not all," he replied, "Hannan, my own horse is also thoroughbred and probably worth a lot, but most of the others are fairly run-of-the-mill, oh, apart from Alhawa, Heero's horse, who also has a relatively distinguished background."

As he spoke, the horse in the next stable gave a loud whinny, drowning out Quatre's voice, almost as if telling him to get a move on.

Quatre grinned, "Okay, okay! We'll get to you in a minute Zameel," he called out to the horse.

"Perhaps we'd better move on," he suggested. He wandered to the next stable and placed his hand gently on the grey and white horse's nose. "Trowa, this is Zameel. His name means Friend, and he's been assigned to you."

As Quatre continued with the task of allocating horses to everyone, nobody seemed to notice the missing member of their group. As the others moved on, Fumio remained standing outside the door of Yatimah's stable. He had been completely spellbound by her from the moment he saw her, and also, it appeared, she by him.

They stood there just looking at each other. By now the wild, fiery-eyed horse that everyone seemed so fearsome of had become quiet and calm, barely moving at all.

For a while she just stared down at the pint-sized boy, her towering size making him look and feel even smaller than he really was. Likewise, Fumio just stood there, a couple of steps from the stable door, staring up at her, mesmerised.

"You're absolutely beautiful!" he gasped in quiet, whispered awe, "I feel the spirit within you, _magnificent_!"

Through the stable door, she very gingerly began to lean forward, lowering her head so her eyes became level with his. Her ears twitched slightly as she moved.

"What's up?" he whispered to her, "Oh, you want me to pet you, don't you?" he said hesitantly still in a whisper, a slight nervousness apparent in his voice.

The horse remained with her head lowered and gave a gentle snort.

"O… Okay… I'll make a deal with you" suggested Fumio quietly, "I'll pet you, but you have to promise not to eat me," a slightly nervous grin appeared on his face. "do we have a deal?"

Yatimah remained still and gave another snort.

Very slowly and gingerly, Fumio reached out his hand and moved it towards her nose. As he got close, she gently brought her nose forward to meet it.

A beaming, giggling smile appeared on his face as he gently began to stroke his hand over her warm, glossy jet-black fur.

She lowered her head further, and he realised she wanted him to rub her ears. He reached up and obliged, and she seemed to enjoy the fuss immensely as she pushed her head against his hands.

A few minutes later, Quatre was still allocating horses to the remaining group members. Several of the Gundam gang were already sat on their horses and milling around together in the open centre area of the barn, chatting and waiting for the others to be kitted-up.

"Okay, Fumio, this is your horse," said Quatre peering up from behind his clipboard, "Fumio?"

The mini-monk was nowhere to be seen.

"So where's he got to then?" said Quatre. Several heads began twisting around and scanning the barn for any sign of him."

"Fumio?" Called out a couple of voices.

"I'm in here!" came the slightly echoed reply.

Instantly they realised his voice was coming from inside Yatimah's stable.

"Oh No!" gasped Quatre. Fearing the worst, he threw his clipboard to the ground and ran towards the stable.

Thinking the boy was in trouble, there was a general scramble by the others as they all hurried towards the stable door, joined by those who had quickly dismounted from their horses.

"Don't worry," called Quatre in a slight panic, "we're coming, just hold on!"

Everyone reached the half-open door at about the same time and peered in.

A jaw-dropped silence instantly fell upon the group, followed by gasps of complete astonishment.

"I… I think she likes me!" came the response from the grinning monk.

Fumio was straddling the massive beast's back, holding onto her reins looking down at the group. He was sat bareback, no saddle, not even a blanket.

Yatimah was as calm and placid as a horse could be. Even with the group's sudden appearance at the door, she remained entirely unflustered as she stood there looking at the group, eloquently, proudly.

"I… I… don't believe it!" gasped Quatre, "I do not believe what my eyes are telling me. That's… that's _impossible_!"

"All evidence to the contrary Cat," suggested Heero Quietly.

"Wow, Fumio," cooed Hilde, "looks like you've made yourself a new friend there."

Fumio nodded and grinned again. "I didn't do anything," he insisted, "it was her that came to me."

Quatre remained shaking his head in utter disbelief. "She's never allowed anything like this before. It's been almost impossible to get a blanket on her, let alone a person riding bareback."

"Hey Fumio," piped up Duo, "you ever heard of a guy called Dr Doolittle?"

Fumio pondered for a moment, then shook his head negatively. "I don't think so. Is he a local?"

Some chortles came back from the group.

"Why? Who is he?"

Duo grinned, shaking his head, "Doesn't matter, forget I asked."

"Okay," he replied, oblivious to Duo's reference.

Fumio looked at Quatre. "Mr Quatre-san, I know you've already got me a horse organised, but do you think it would be possible to swap and take Yatimah out instead?" He patted the side of her neck as he asked.

Quatre still looked shocked. After a long pause, he eventually answered.

"You know, ordinarily, that question would be making me very nervous indeed, but the crazy thing is, it isn't," he replied scratching his head and running his fingers through his hair. He sighed, "Somehow, I just know you're going to be fine with her. Don't ask me how I know that, I just know."

After agreeing to let Fumio take Yatimah out on the ride, and calming down a bit, everyone began to disperse as Quatre continued with the task of getting everyone allocated a horse. The already-mounted riders began leading their horses out of the barn and into the warm sunshine of the courtyard outside.

Fumio was able to get a saddle onto Yatimah without so much as a peep of protest from her. Once kitted-up, he too climbed onto her back and led her outside to join the others in the courtyard.

As he stepped into the sunlight, Heero pulled up along side him.

"You had us all worried in there for a moment," he said dryly.

"I'm sorry Heero," the boy replied, "it wasn't my intention to worry anyone."

"Don't apologise Fumio," he pointed a cautioning finger at his kid brother, "just be careful, you hear me?"

Fumio nodded, "I'll be good Heero; I promise," he replied.

"Good," continued Heero, his mouth now forming a slight smile as his serious mood lifted. He spent the next few moments silently looking at Fumio sat astride the large prized mare. He felt compelled to look down and admire the horses' marvellously glossy, jet-black coat, her long wild mane and deep, shiny eyes. Eventually, he looked back up at Fumio, quietly feeling a deep-down sense of admiration.

He sighed deeply, "Savour this moment Fumio," he added quietly, "you're riding a multi-million buck Arabian charger; there is no finer horse on the planet. It's not something many people will get to experience during their lifetime. In a way, I guess I'm a little envious."

Fumio nodded subtly, understanding Heero's words. He thought to himself for a moment.

"Would you like to ride Yatimah instead Heero?" he suggested quietly,

"I could swap with you if you want. I'm sure she'll let you," he replied, "then you could have the chance to…"

"No! Fumio," interrupted Heero, reaching a hand up onto his shoulder to stop him talking, "just for _one_ moment will you stop thinking about other people," his voice sounding slightly irritated. "For once in your life, allow _yourself_ to enjoy something, this is _your_ treat Fumio; this is _your_ moment. It may never come again, so, just enjoy it."

A few minutes later, the whole group were trotting their way along one of the narrow leafy green lanes that headed out towards the vast plains and forests disappearing to the horizon.

"How are you two getting on?" asked Quatre as he pulled alongside Duo and Hilde, the two non-riders of the group.

"Hey Cat, this isn't as bad as I thought it might be," chirped Duo, feeling pleased with himself that he'd made the decision to tag along.

"Yes, this is great fun Cat," added Hilde, "I don't know why I didn't do this years ago."

Quatre had given them some basic tuition in handling the horses back at the stables.

"I told you there was nothing to it. Besides, you've got two of the best-behaved horses we have. We use them for rides at one of the annual children's events at the mansion, so they've got to be well behaved," Replied Quatre, looking ahead to Heero who was some ten paces in front of them. "Unlike some of the other horses," he added.

Heero was having a bit of a battle keeping his horse in a straight line. It was evident she didn't want to be walking so slowly. She was fired up and eager to run at the earliest opportunity.

Quatre turned back to Duo and Hilde, "I expect some of us will be going for a Gallop shortly when this narrow track widens further along," he commented, "Don't worry if you don't want to push things, just stay on the path. There's a big lake a few miles from here; we'll be stopping there for a rest and a bite to eat. This track leads straight to it."

Duo nodded, "Well, I don't know about you Hilde, but I wouldn't mind having a go at a gallop myself," he looked at Hilde for a response, and to his surprise, she was nodding, agreeing to give it a try.

"Well, just remember what I said about standing up in the stirrups." called Quatre as he began dropping back to go and talk to Trowa who was a few paces behind.

"So why's that bit so important?" asked Duo.

Quatre grinned a knowing grin back at his friend, "You'll find out," was the somewhat unrevealing reply.

The whole group was spread out over a distance along the track, with Heero out at the front and Wufei bringing up the rear. Most had paired off and were chatting as they plodded their way along the path, a few were solo, just quietly following the others, admiring the view out across the plains and valley ahead and to the left.

One of those alone was Wufei. He'd made a point of staying out of the way of the others, hanging some twenty or thirty paces back from the next person in line, Noin.

After Duo had mentioned Wufei's apparent anger earlier that day, the others realised it was probably best to give him a wide berth, except one; Fumio.

Fumio was still deeply bothered by Wufei's outburst at him earlier that day and that Wufei was now giving him the cold shoulder, especially as it was over something that was completely untrue. He wanted to put his thoughts on the matter to one side and enjoy the day, allowing Wufei the rest of the day to cool off, but as the trek began, he quickly realised he couldn't do it. No matter how hard he tried to put it out of his mind, thoughts of the shocking event from that morning came nagging back at him. He knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he had set the record straight and settled their differences.

One by one, the others up ahead disappeared out of sight as the track entered into a tunnel-like canopy of hedgerows and trees. As Wufei came under the shady canopy himself, he spotted Fumio sat on the black mare, waiting patiently by a gate on the path.

Wufei ignored him and continued looking ahead as he passed, without saying a word.

Fumio unhurriedly walked Yatimah forward and came alongside the Samurai pilot.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Fumio leant forward in his saddle and looked up sideways at Wufei's face, smiling slightly.

Wufei felt compelled to glance at him momentarily, then peeled his eyes ahead again. He remained silent; a stern look fixed on his face.

"Are you still mad at me? Wufei-san?" asked Fumio in a quiet, innocent voice.

Wufei did not reply immediately. Although still angry inside, he felt a little disarmed by Fumio's gentle approach. It was not what he wanted, or expected.

Eventually, he answered, "I have nothing to say to you" he replied, his voice monotone and flat.

Fumio remained quiet for a moment thinking about his next words.

"I was hoping we could talk things through."

Wufei glared at him. "There is nothing to discuss," he replied, his voice beginning to show irritation. He started to speed his horse up, pulling ahead from the boy, "I expect you'd only try to manipulate me into saying things I didn't mean anyway," he called back.

Fumio felt shocked again at yet more hurtful and unwarranted words. He watched Wufei as the distance between them increased. Part of him wanted to leave it there and walk away, but he knew he had to keep going. The longer he left it, the more Wufei would convince himself he was right.

"You do know, you've got it all wrong, don't you?" he called out, ushering his horse to catch him up, pulling alongside him again.

Wufei did not reply; he just ignored him, staring forward.

"Wufei!" urged Fumio, his voice now growing more agitated, "this is so silly; we were such good friends; won't you even hear me out?"

Again, there was no reply.

"Wufei?"

No response.

"Wufei-san?" he tried again, the frustration in his voice now very evident.

Wufei calmly slowed his horse and turned off to the left.

"What are you doing? Wufei-san?" asked Fumio bringing Yatimah to a standstill.

He observed as the Chinese boy carefully steered his way through the, now, sparse hedgerow, and crossed over the narrow ditch which ran alongside the path, emerging in the open field on the other side.

He looked back through the hedgerow at the boy-monk.

"I've already told you Fumio, I have nothing more to say about the matter," he said bluntly, "I won't listen to your lies."

He drew up on his reins and dug his heels in, "HA!" he cried. The beast reared up lunged forward, galloping off at great speed across the open ground heading for the lower valley.

As he sat watching them race away, Fumio felt deeply frustrated and hurt, but his frustration quickly began turning to anger at Wufei's refusal to see beyond his stubborn ignorance.

He could feel it building up inside of him, rearing it's ugly head like a rumbling volcano getting ready to explode. The reins in his small hands were being gripped tighter and tighter as his hands became clenched angry fists. His face grew redder as the seething inferno within him began to rage out of control.

As his inner fury grew, so did the restlessness of Yatimah. As if an invisible tether connected their minds, she could sense the growing trauma within him and it affected her dramatically. She began to fidget and step sideways, moving around restlessly. Her head began to twitch and nod, her nostrils flared and snorted, and her breathing quickened. She started chewing restlessly on the metal bit, causing her to dribble and foam at the mouth.

Fumio stared, enraged and angry at the now, quite distant Wufei, still galloping away.

Suddenly, his anger erupted. "SINCE WHEN DID I BECOME A LIAR!" he abruptly bellowed at the top of his unbroken voice. It was almost an involuntarily action as the anger continued to consume him. His voice echoed back at him from across the valley.

He suddenly jumped into action, quickly steering the now, semi-wild horse through the hedgerow. They leapt the ditch and took off after Wufei.

At full speed they rode. Somehow Yatimah seemed to be completely tuned into the moment as if their minds were one. She knew what she had to do; to catch up with Wufei at any cost.

With another snort and flare of her nostrils, she conjured up an incredible burst of energy from within, taking them up to a speed that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

Fumio's perfect soldier skills were kicking in, coming back to him, allowing him to balance masterfully on Yatimah's back as she continued to run like the wind.

From back on the path, many of the others had bunched together and stopped to observe the two figures racing down into the valley below them.

"Wow, look at them go!" cooed Duo excitedly.

"My god, the speed, Cat!" gasped Noin in astonishment as she watched, "look at the speed he's going!"

Quatre was speechless, mouth agape. He had no idea Yatimah was capable of such incredible velocity. Her legs moved so quickly they just became an indistinct blur. Never in his life had he witnessed such an awesome and amazing performance.

The rest of the group continued to watch as the two headed down and away from them into the distance leaving two plumes of dust as their mounts pounded the dry earth. Yatimah's dark glossy fur seemed to glint in the sun like a mirror as she galloped, rapidly gaining on Wufei.

"Since when did I become a Liar!" yelled Fumio again, still totally enraged, now just yards away from the leading horse, "Since when did I become a Liar Wufei!"

Wufei suddenly glanced back, a look of complete shock and surprise fell on his face, not realising until that moment that he was being pursued.

"Ha!" he called, encouraging his horse to run faster, in an attempt to put some distance between them again. It was a pointless effort. Fumio came alongside him with ease. He looked sideways at the Shenlong pilot.

"I am not a liar!" he yelled, now shaking his small angry fist at him. "I'm not a liar! You take back what you said! Take it back Wufei!"

Wufei was looking flustered, he seemed unable to reply, visibly shocked at seeing Fumio's very out of character behaviour. Unable or unwilling to respond, he looked forward and continued concentrating on getting his horse to run faster.

Through the valley they ran at full speed, observed by the other group members until they disappeared out of sight below the camber of the large sloping plains. Two trails of dust became the only evidence of their position.

The horse's hooves pounded the ground furiously as the wind blasted their faces and past their ears, which made it difficult to hear.

"Are you going to speak to me at all?!" yelled Fumio angrily, "or just continue to ignore me?"

Again, Wufei just kept facing ahead, concentrating on riding at speed, secretly wishing this wasn't happening. He was shocked and flustered at the little monk's reaction; it had left him completely unsure of how to respond.

"Fine! then just listen!" continued Fumio, still yelling angrily. "You are totally wrong Wufei. The meditation ritual was exactly how it was. I never used my gifts in any way to affect the outcome. It's something I would _never_ do, not ever, and I'm not a liar; I'm telling the truth!"

Finally, Wufei peeled his eyes to the side and looked back at the fuming boy, "What about the thing with the deer? You can't tell me that was a natural result of the ritual?" he yelled back, sounding just as angry.

Fumio looked him in the eye, suddenly understanding the focus of Wufei's frustration.

He thought about his answer carefully for a moment before responding.

"That was nothing to do with the ritual," he yelled back, a little less angrily, "it was something entirely unconnected and that I had no control over, or any knowledge of."

"So you admit it then? Your powers did influence me," yelled Wufei.

Fumio nodded his head reluctantly, "But it's nothing like you think Wufei," he pleaded, his earlier anger fading more. "It had nothing to do with the meditation ritual, and I was completely unaware of what my gifts had done," he reiterated.

Wufei stared at him, looking unconvinced.

"Look, Wufei-san," explained Fumio, still yelling to make his voice heard over the wind rushing past his ears and the pounding of the horses hooves, "I've discussed this with Heero, and we both think that my gifts had foreseen what was going to happen, when I ran away that night in the thunderstorm."

Wufei continued to stare, still looking angry at the boy, analysing his every word.

"Wufei!" pleaded the boy, "we think that my gifts gave you the ability to find me when I was lost."

The angry stare remained.

"Don't you get it?" yelled Fumio loudly, now desperate to make him see the point, "I might have bled to death that night if it wasn't for you."

Wufei listened in silence as they continued galloping at speed. His angry expression was slowly starting to ease.

"My gifts foresaw what was going to happen and gave you the ability to find me," continued Fumio, still yelling to make his voice heard, "but it never had the slightest influence on the ritual; That really was entirely down to you and me, _all_ of it!"

As they continued, they had become so deeply engrossed in their argument that neither of them had noticed they were reaching the edge of the plain and were fast approaching cultivated land again.

A thickly wooded hedgerow rapidly loomed up ahead.

Suddenly Wufei's attention was drawn to a shadow growing in the corner of his eye. He glanced forward suddenly spotting the dense greenery.

"Look out!" he yelled, pulling up on the reins desperately trying to bring his horse to a halt before running into the dense thicket hedgerow.

Fumio glanced forward and instantly realised it was too late to stop, but Yatimah had other ideas. With another incredible burst of power, she lunged forward and attempted to jump the hedgerow as the small boy leant forward and clung on tight for his life.

Both horse and rider disappeared from view, and moments later there was a set of dull thuds as the large beast made contact with the grassy ground on the other side and quickly came to a halt.

Wufei had just managed to stop his horse in time, and it was stood right up close to the hedgerow. The hedge was too tall to see over, even on horseback. He tried peering through the dense foliage to the other side. He could partially see the glossy black mare standing there and quickly realised she was minus her rider.

"Fumio!" called Wufei anxiously, "Fumio!"

His words were met with silence.

Wufei quickly dismounted from his horse and began searching the lower parts of the hedge for a way through.

"Fumio!" he called again more urgently.

There was a pause.

"I didn't think you cared anymore," came a quiet, calm voice from the other side.

Wufei gave an audible sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God!" he gasped, "Of course I care you little fool!" he replied in a thankful voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay… thank you," he replied quietly.

Wufei finally found a way through the hedge, so he tied off the reigns of his horse onto one of the branches, and then crawled through to Fumio's side.

Fumio was laying awkwardly on his back on the soft grass not far from where Wufei had emerged. Yatimah stood towering over him.

Wufei hurried over and knelt beside the fallen monk.

"Did you fall off?" Wufei asked apprehensively.

Fumio nodded, "Sort of," he replied, "when Yatimah landed, I kept going."

"Are you injured? Can you move? Are you able to sit up?" he asked urgently, again, with genuine concern in his voice.

Fumio nodded and attempted to sit himself upright but seemed to grimace with some mild discomfort. Wufei reached forward and gently helped him to sit up.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, really," he replied nodding, grateful for Wufei's assistance. Yatimah broke my fall with her head, so I just sort of rolled onto the ground here," he replied, looking up at her, "but she looking a bit miffed now. I think I might have hurt her feelings."

Wufei sighed, grateful the boy seemed uninjured. He also felt the tensions from earlier subsiding. "You had me worried for a moment there; I thought you'd broken your neck or something," he said in a much more amicable voice.

"I'm sorry if I worried you Wufei San, and... and I'm sorry for getting mad at you like that. It was wrong of me to lose my temper."

Wufei sighed again, "No Fumio," he said quietly, regretfully, "you're not the one at fault here, I am. I should be the one doing the apologising, not you."

Wufei looked down at the ground solemnly. "I've been an idiot, Fumio," he uttered quietly, "and I've been such a bastard."

Fumio gave a confused expression, tilting his head to one side, "Your parents weren't married?" he asked innocently.

A slight grin forced it's way onto Wufei's face. He exhaled a suppressed laugh.

"No, not that kind of bastard Fumio," he replied. "What I mean is," he continued, his voice now serious again, "you had every right to be angry with me. I should never have said or done the things I did. It was completely out of line."

He sighed deeply again, sounding regretful, "Fumio, you've offered me nothing but warm-hearted kindness and friendship, and in exchange, I've called you a liar and a manipulator, I've insulted everything that you stand for. I've even thrown the incredibly special gift you gave to me, straight back in your face."

Wufei was clearly feeling genuine remorse for what he had done.

"Damn!" he cussed, "I can't believe I let it go this far."

"I'm curious Wufei," spoke Fumio quietly, "why have you changed your mind now, when a few minutes ago you were still mad at me?"

Wufei drooped his head once more. "Because, I was never really that mad at you in the first place," he replied; his regret obvious in his tone. "I realised early-on that I was probably wrong, even before we came out here today, but… but I'd started something that I didn't know how to stop. I didn't know how to take back my words or admit I was wrong. I was ashamed to confess that I was in error, so something inside just compelled me just to keep going with it," he sighed again, "I don't know why I did that. It was so wrong of me."

He paused, thinking for a moment, "You know what the worst part is?"

Fumio shook his head.

Wufei reached over and gently took hold of Fumio's hands. He looked down at them, noting just how small they were.

"I have seen with my own eyes just how benign, gentle and kind these hands are," he said, "when I saw you shaking your angry fists at me, it shocked me, and it shamed me. It shamed me more than you can imagine."

In a caring gesture, Wufei very tenderly cradled the young monk's hand in between his two palms.

"Gentle hands of kindness like these should _never_ have to be raised as angry fists, but that's what they had become, and it was all because of my ego, my selfishness, my inability to admit that I was wrong."

The expression on Wufei's face was one of genuine and humble regret. His eyes were welling up and he looked close to tears.

"I am so sorry Fumio-chan; I'm so very, _very_ sorry." he gasped in a desperately sad tone of voice.

There was a long silence. Fumio had listened carefully and was contemplating Wufei's words and gesture, finally understanding how such an awful situation had arisen out of one simple failure to admit a mistake. He felt bad for the Chinese boy and empathised with the self-inflicted shame he was now pushing on himself.

Wanting to put an end to the situation once and for all, Fumio extended a verbal olive branch. "You know, I'll forgive you in an instant if it means we can be friends again." He whispered.

He heard Wufei sigh deeply, "But what about the way I treated you?"

"Wufei-san, you're as bad as Heero when it comes to not being able to forgive yourself," he commented quietly.

"But still..." continued Wufei.

"Wufei, I understand, and I _forgive_ you, so come on, let's let this go." he urged in a gentle whisper, "let's move on and not speak about it anymore, okay?"

Wufei reluctantly nodded. "Okay,"

"So, we're friends again right Wufei?"

"Fumio, there was never a time when I did not consider us to be friends, but I'm sorry if I gave you that impression," he replied, still with great regret in his tone of voice, "I'd be happy for us to be friends for life."

Fumio smiled and seemed happy once again. "I'd like that too Wufei, very much."

A genuine smile of relief appeared on Wufei's face as he nodded subtly. He extended his hand to the young monk for them to shake hands.

Fumio looked at it, grinned, then promptly grabbed Wufei into a big heartfelt hug.

It was early evening when the group were finally climbing back aboard Quatre's car for the return journey to the mansion.

It had been an excellent event. Wufei and Fumio had well and truly buried the hatchet and went on to join the others for the rest of the trip. They all enjoyed a two-hour stop at the lakeside where refreshments were served by Quatre's butler who had travelled out to meet them.

As one-by-one the others climbed aboard Quatre's big 4x4 ready to head back to the mansion, Quatre, who was standing at the tailgate loading in his saddle, felt a presence behind him. He turned around to see Fumio standing there.

"Hey," he said clemently, "did you enjoy yourself today?"

"I had a wonderful day Mr Quatre-san, thank you so much."

Quatre nodded and turned to close the rear door. After he'd shut it, he turned around to see Fumio still standing there, looking at him.

"So what's on your mind Fumo-chan?" he asked.

Fumio cocked his head to one side and brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun, now sat moderately low in the sky.

"I wanted to ask you about Yatimah."

Quatre sighed, "I still can't get over how she took to you like that; it was unbelievable," he commented quietly. "What was it you wanted to know about her?"

"I wanted to know, what her name means?" asked the boy.

Quatre looked at him curiously, "Why do you ask that?" he replied, suddenly seeming very interested in Fumio's question.

"I don't know really," he replied, "I just felt like I needed to ask, you never mentioned what it meant."

Quatre nodded his head subtly, understanding his curiosity.

"Well, her name…" he paused for a moment smiling slightly, "It means, orphan."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Dark clouds loomed across the valley as the Winner Mansion embraced the night, and by eleven O'clock, a powerful thunderstorm was raging across the region. Most of the group had retired early that evening.

Not wanting a repeat of the events a few nights previous, Heero decided to wait out the storm in Fumio's room. He quietly crept in and settled down on one of the armchairs to the side of the room. There he slouched, half dozing, half awake, making sure he was on-hand in the event that his brother decided to have another startled reaction and run off again.

Not long after settling down, Heero cracked open one eye as he heard the door to the room open quietly.

In the dim light from the table lamp on the far side of the room, he could see Sally creeping in. She didn't notice him at first. She quietly closed the door behind her and shuffled towards where he was sitting. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she suddenly spotted him.

"Heero?" she whispered, sounding a little surprised.

"What's up Sal?" he replied equally as quietly.

"Oh, I was just a bit worried, you know, after what happened the other night when it thundered."

Heero nodded and confirmed that he was there for the same reason.

She pulled up a chair and sat next to him. There they engaged in light, whispered conversation for several hours until the storm passed and Sally eventually went back to bed.

It was already daylight when Heero awoke with a jolt after a dream-intense sleep. Taking a moment to get his bearings, he realised he was still sat on the chair in Fumio's room. He quickly noted that he'd been covered over with a blanket.

Still a little disorientated, his eyes glanced across the room to the bed. It was empty, the covers thrown open to one side. Suddenly his heart quickened as a flashback of two nights ago rushed through his mind's-eye. He sprang to his feet with urgency throwing the blanket to the floor.

"Fumio!" he suddenly called, looking anxiously towards the window.

"I'm right here Heero," came the quiet reply.

He span around to see Fumio sat cross-legged on the floor in the rear corner of the room. He was peering up from an old-looking book that he'd been reading for the past hour or so.

Heero sighed in obvious relief and immediately began to calm down.

Fumio observed him, his expression calm but concerned. Heero glanced back towards the window, then wandered over to it and drew the curtains open.

He peered wearily out at the new day.

"Heero, you look so tired, why don't you go and get some proper sleep in a bed?" suggested Fumio quietly.

Heero shook his head negatively, and then yawned.

"No, I'll be okay." He replied tiredly, still staring out across towards the distant mountains.

After mulling something over in his mind, Fumio stood up and ambled over to stand beside his brother at the window.

He hesitated for a moment then spoke.

"Heero, is everything all right?" He asked in a whispered, concerned voice.

Heero peeled his eyes away from the view and looked at Fumio.

"I was surprised to find you in here when I woke up," continued Fumio. He reached up and gently gripped Heero's arm.

"Heero, I'm here for you, you know we can talk… about anything" he urged in a whisper, "if there's something worrying you, you know I will always do whatever I can to help."

A very slight smile began to appear on Heero's, now, more awake face.

"You really didn't hear a thing did you?" he said.

Fumio cocked his head to one side, "What do you mean? hear what?" he asked.

"The thunderstorm we had last night?" replied Heero.

"I didn't hear any thunder," replied Fumio.

Heero's smile grew into a grin. "It was a huge storm, you could feel it shake the foundations of the house, surely you must have been aware of it?"

Fumio looked blankly back at him.

Heero sighed and nodded, "Well, Sal did say you looked totally out-of-it, I guess she was right."

"You mean Miss Sally was in here too?" asked Fumio now looking a little confused.

Heero explained that he and Sally had sat in his room throughout the duration of the storm, to keep an eye on him after what had happened two nights ago. Fumio nodded, finally understanding. He looked grateful.

Heero gave another sigh and turned to leave.

"Well, I'd better let you get on with your studies," he said, "but I'll tell you what, if you're up to it, we can do some sparing later if you want. I feel I need the practice."

Fumio smiled, "I'll enjoy that, yes Heero," he replied nodding, "I look forward to it."

Heero nodded and headed off towards the door, but as his hand reached for the handle, he paused.

"It was kind of you to say what you did just now," he spoke in a subdued voice, still facing the door.

"I realize what it was you were thinking about, but there's no need to worry about me. I'm certain those dark days are far behind me now."

There was a silent pause.

"I hope so too Heero," replied Fumio in a whisper.

Heero turned his head slightly and gave an appreciative nod, before leaving the room.

As the door clicked shut, thoughts of those 'dark days' lingered on in Fumio's mind. They were the only other times when he recalled waking up to find Heero asleep in his room.

It was some five months previous. Heero had only been living at the monastery for three weeks or so. But as the terrifying sounds of battle began to slowly fade from his mind, he started to sink into a dreadful low. He became gripped by a depression so deep, that at times it almost seemed to take away his will to live.

Fumio recalled that Lama Banai had told him this was a possibility. It was a common, well-known problem for soldiers after war; even the so-called perfect soldier couldn't be immune from it. The Lama had explained that, with the guns silenced and the battles at an end, the mind of a soldier could be just as daunted and shocked by the silence as with the chaos of battle.

With unconditional support from his brother and many of the other monks at the monastery, Heero got over it quickly, but Fumio recalled that, for several days during the very lowest times, he had woken to find Heero asleep on the floor in his room. Although Heero never completely admitted it, Fumio knew it was because, during those dark days, he simply couldn't face being alone in the darkness of night.

As the thoughts of those dark times faded from his mind, Fumio felt thankful that they had not returned again.

It was around ten in the morning when Fumio finally emerged from his room. He had been disturbed by some strange sounds he'd heard coming from down the hallway. His curiosity finally got the better of him and he decided to investigate.

He quickly realized the sounds were coming from the mansions' gym.

As he approached the gym doorway, he could hear the voices of the others calling and shouting excitedly.

"Come on Duo, is that the best you can do?!" came one voice, it sounded like Noin's.

"Hey, leave me alone. I'm pacing myself." replied Duo in a grinning, panting voice.

Fumio stepped into the doorway to see the entire group stood around the battle-ring. It was a large, square, canvass area rather like a boxing ring, but without the rope walls. It sat about a foot off the ground and around its perimeter sat large, blue, vinyl covered foam landing mats and blocks. Above hung a large digital, computerised scoreboard.

In the ring's centre were Quatre and Duo, both wearing bright red protective head pads and what looked like martial-art-style boxing gloves. Quatre stood grinning, his hands resting on his hips peering down at a red-faced Duo who was slumped on his butt trying to catch his breath.

"You had enough yet Duo?" asked Quatre, smiling.

"Man, have you been practising?" gasped Duo. "Damn, that was pretty quick. I mean, I could keep up with you for a while, but that last leg move, I didn't even see it coming."

Quatre chuckled quietly and extended a hand out to help him up. "Don't be too hard on yourself, I have been practising a lot lately, especially since I had the battle-ring installed. Maybe it was a little unfair of me to take you on like that."

Quatre hauled his dazed friend up on his feet again. Duo blinked widely several times trying to prevent the room from spinning. He began to sway slightly.

"Whoa," called Quatre stepping forward and grabbing him in a supportive embrace,

"well, I definitely think that's enough for you today." he commented, still in a humorous tone. He helped Duo to the side of the ring and sat him down on one of the large foam blocks.

"Naa, I'll be okay," protested Duo, "c'mon, just give me a minute and we'll go one more round."

"Uh-uh, not today Duo," Quatre said shaking his head, "you've had enough. This is supposed to be a friendly sparring match, not a battle."

Hilde stepped in behind Duo and hugged her arms around his neck. "Oh Duo, don't be such a Hero all the time," she said, "give it a rest for today, there's always tomorrow."

Duo sighed, "I guess, maybe you're right," he nodded, finally conceding.

"I have to admit, you were pretty fast Cat," piped up Wufei, "I'm impressed. I wouldn't mind putting that speed to the test myself."

Quatre looked up at his fellow pilot and pondered for a moment.

"How about it Cat? You fancy going a couple of rounds with me?"

Quatre paused again, then finally answered, "Sure Wufei, I'll give it a go."

The battle ring cleared and everyone stood around watching as Wufei and Quatre prepared to take up their stances. Fumio, now intrigued wandered in to the room and stood beside Sally.

"Hey, morning Fumio." she greeted him, smiling.

"Hey there Fumio," came a number of other friendly greetings.

"You going to watch us compete?" asked Quatre.

Fumio nodded. "Sure" he replied.

"Hey, who's your money on kid?" called Duo from the far side of the ring.

Fumio just grinned and shook his head. Whatever thoughts he had, he was keeping to himself.

The two pilots squared up in their stances and began.

Despite most of the others believing that Wufei probably had the upper hand in skill and experience, Quatre's speed was notable. It was clear to everyone that he had been practising and was giving Wufei a serious run for his money. It went on for a good while, both pilots using their skills expertly to avoid being struck and loosing. However, about three or four minutes into the fight, Quatre made his first, and last mistake.

It was a slightly misjudged forward lunge. Wufei instantly saw his opportunity and a second later, Quatre was flat on his back. Wufei Yelled loudly as he leaped up and lunged downwards to deliver the final crushing death blow to finish off his opponent. There was no time to counter. Quatre braced himself for impact, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes tight, but the impact never came.

A few seconds later, Quatre cautiously cracked open one eye and peered up to see why it had all gone quiet. Wufei's clenched fist was sat motionless, barely an inch from his right temple.

Everyone sighed with relief and smiled, applauding briefly as Wufei helped his defeated friend to his feet.

"Hey that was pretty good you guys." called Noin.

"Yeah, that was pretty intense," added Duo, "but impressive."

The others nodded, agreeing with the comments.

The two fighters stood and bowed respectively to each other, then hugged briefly.

"That was most enjoyable Cat, thank you," commented Wufei bowing his head once more. "You have improved considerably, a worthy opponent, I am at your disposal any time for a re-match."

Quatre smiled and looked a Wufei in surprise, "Thanks Wufei, that's high praise indeed," he replied, "I might take you up on that offer one day," he grinned, "but not today."

Wufei nodded, then turned to Heero who was stood next to Trowa, arms folded, quietly observing all that was going on.

"Heero?" called Wufei, "you fancy going a round or two?" he asked, now in the mood for a slightly bigger challenge.

"Yeah, go on Heero," urged Noin, "I'd be interested to see how those perfect soldier skills of yours match up to Wufei's lifetime of Samurai training."

Heero thought about it for a while before answering.

"While I'm tempted by your offer, I'm afraid, for now, I'll have to decline." he replied dryly.

Wufei looked a little disappointed.

"Why's that Heero?" asked Duo, "you afraid he's going to beat you?"

Heero cast his eyes towards Fumio who was stood across the room talking to Sally.

"Not at all, but I already promised my brother that I would practice with him today. It would be unfair to use up my energy fighting Wufei first," he replied dryly again, then turned to face Wufei again, "but I will gladly accept your challenge for another day."

Wufei nodded, understanding Heero's situation. "I'll look forward to it." he replied nodding his head in respect.

After Fumio had ran back to his room to change into the same traditional fighting robes he had used to do the meditation ritual, he returned to the gym where Heero stood warming up. The others had stuck around to watch and cheer them on, even though most of them believed that it was a little one-sided.

Duo was sat on a foam block next to Trowa and Noin.

He leaned in towards the others.

"I guess Heero will have to hold back quite a bit if he doesn't want this to be over in five seconds," he whispered so as not to be overheard.

"I wouldn't be so sure," replied Noin, also in a whisper, "don't forget that Fumio is also Gundam trained, so this could be interesting."

Duo shook his head, disagreeing. "Doesn't matter," he replied, "the kid just doesn't have the body mass to fight back effectively. He's so tiny and light he could blow away in a breeze."

"I disagree Duo," commented Wufei who was stood behind them, "size and weight are just single factors of many other factors. His agility alone could give Heero a hard time, and his speed is phenomenal. I agree with Noin, this could be interesting."

A few minutes later the boys were ready to begin. They bowed deeply to each other then took their stances. As the sparring match got under way, it quickly became apparent that the majority of Heero's moves were offensive, whilst most of Fumio's were defensive.

The minutes progressed, and Heero started to look slightly frustrated that he hadn't been able to connect one single time with his opponent. Every time he attacked, Fumio's tactics would be to counter with either a block, or evade the move altogether and then follow through with a strike, gradually weakening and wearing down his opponent. As time moved on, the moves began to get faster and more powerful as the two brothers danced and dived furiously around each other, each totally focused on the moment.

Eventually Heero saw an opportunity and went for it, knocking Fumio to the ground, but as he followed through with his strike, Fumio immediately leaped up, span round, and with an almighty yell, struck sideways with his arm.

They came to an abrupt halt.

They stood silently like statues, as if someone had taken a snapshot of them in mid-fight, until, with a groan, Heero collapsed in a heap.

As he fell away, Fumio remained motionless for a moment and everyone could see that his extended fist had planted itself firmly into the side of his Heero's neck. He had literally taken him down with one well-placed blow.

There was a momentary silence before gasps of shock echoed around the room.

"He won," gasped Sally and Hilde simultaneously. "He beat him!"

"Well I'll be..." uttered Duo, a grin on his face, "I wasn't expecting that," he spoke quietly to nobody in particular.

Suddenly, Fumio's concentration broke, as if waking from a daydream. His expression changed from that of intense concentration to a look of concern, and some regret. He rushed to Heero's side and dropped to his knees.

"Heero, are you okay?" he asked urgently.

Heero lay there with a hand pressed against his neck in obvious pain. He looked a little shocked. He coughed, and then nodded, "I'm all right, just give me a moment," he gasped, coughing again.

Fumio bit his bottom lip, an expression of "oops," formed across his face.

"I'm so sorry Heero, I _really_ didn't mean to hit you that hard." he insisted, "I must have misjudged that by at least an inch."

Fumio held his small clenched fist out in front of him and scanned his eyes over it looking confused, "I don't understand how I did that." he commented quietly, "I was absolutely _sure_ I would only make light contact."

Heero was recovering quickly, he shook his head, disagreeing. "Don't worry yourself about it," he coughed again, "you won that fair and square, in fact, that was a damn good move, I should have anticipated it, but the truth is, I didn't even get close."

Heero sat upright, taking a few deep breaths.

Sally wandered over to check if he was okay, by which time he was already climbing to his feet.

"No, I'm okay, really," gestured Heero with his hands, "I'm fine now."

He looked at his brother whose guilty expression remained.

Finally Heero forced a grin, "I can see I'm gong to have to work harder in future if I'm to have any hope of keeping up with you," he commented, "that was an incredible move Fumio," he insisted, "it completely took me by surprise. Well done." He bowed respectfully.

To his surprise, Fumio did not return the bow. He still seemed a little mad at himself for his mistake.

"How can you be praising me when all I did was mess up?" he asked.

"Because you didn't mess up Fumio," insisted Heero, "even if you hadn't hit me so hard, I still did not anticipate your move. The fight was yours whichever way you look at it."

Fumio looked up at him, he did not look convinced. "But still," he replied, "it would have been better if I hadn't hit you so hard."

Heero grinned again "I already said, don't worry about it. Weren't you moaning at me the other day about putting myself down all the time?" he added.

As Fumio began to realise the quirk of fate, the sides of his mouth began to turn upwards slightly.

"That's better," said Heero.

Fumio stepped closer to Heero. Saying nothing, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead gently onto Heero's chest for a moment, in a gesture of brotherly admiration, before moving away and sitting down on one of the foam blocks next to Duo.

Fumio remained preoccupied with why he had misjudged his final strike. As a highly trained fighting monk and an expert in the field, it was something he just didn't do. He began to grow concerned that it could create problems if he was starting to have issues with his accuracy. He could not afford for his skills to become unreliable.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his drooped shoulder. He looked up sideways to see Wufei standing next to him.

"Fumio, show me that final move again will you?"

He nodded, "Sure Wufei."

Wufei gestured for him to go back onto the battle-ring, which he did. The others cleared out of the way again. Wufei moved into a stance and braced his bare hands out in front of himself.

"I want you to start from a side-on position, just like you did with Heero," he instructed, "go as fast as you can and stop as close as you can to my hands, but don't actually touch them."

Fumio nodded, understanding what Wufei was asking. He got into his stance. With a leap and another yell, Fumio gave it his best try, spinning around and lunging forward with the strike.

There was a loud slap as Fumio's bare fist came to a halt hard against Wufei's hands. The impact was so great that Wufei needed his elbows to absorb the shock. Fumio froze for a moment, then a look of frustration and confusion slowly developed on his face. He pulled his fist away and looked almost despairingly at it.

"Why?" he uttered angrily at himself, "why am I getting this wrong? I don't understand this."

He looked up at Wufei who now had an oddly smug expression on his face.

Fumio frowned, then paused, scrutinising the look on the Chinese boy's face.

"Wait a minute," he whispered, "you knew that was going to happen, didn't you?"

Wufei nodded.

"But how?" asked Fumio, almost pleading for an answer, "what am I doing wrong?"

"Actually, you're not doing anything wrong Fumio, in fact, your form is flawless."

"So why am I missing?" he pleaded more.

"Let me ask you this," continued Wufei, "when was the last time, that you practised that specific move?"

Fumio thought to himself for a moment. "Hmm, it's a rare move, I don't use it that often, I guess it was maybe three weeks ago."

Wufei nodded, he had suspected as much. "Then the answer is quite a simple one," continued Wufei, now with a slight grin on his face, "Fumio, you're growing!"

Fumio just looked at him blankly.

"I estimate that in the past few weeks, since you last practised that move, your body has grown a little bit bigger."

"Of course," suddenly piped up Sally who had been quietly observing them. She recalled back to her training as a doctor, "At your age Fumio, your body starts to have growth spurts, and it takes a while for your brain to compensate for things like longer arms and legs. It's why teenagers can often get a reputation for being clumsy."

Wufei turned to her, "That's exactly my point," he replied. I've seen this happen before.

Sally continued, "When you reach for something, say, a glass of water, your brain remembers your arm being shorter than it actually is and so will cause you to over-reach."

Fumio was quietly nodding, taking on-board the spontaneous biology lesson.

"Don't worry Fumio, this is just a temporary issue and nothing to be concerned about, " said Wufei, "in time, your brain will naturally compensate accordingly, all you have to do is keep your practice up."

Fumio nodded again, finally understanding the route cause of his frustration.

Wufei continued, "I suggest you practice with all of your less-used moves. It will enable you to..."

Wufei stopped mid-sentence. "What's that bleeping noise?" he asked.

All eyes were scanning curiously around the room as a muffled, electronic bleeping tone began emanating from somewhere. The bleeping got louder as Noin pulled her mobile communications device from her pocket.

She looked nervously at the others, "This could be what we've been waiting for," she spoke softly, before flipping open the device and holding it to her ear.

"Hello?" there was a pause. The entire room went silent as all eyes fell on her. She sat down on one of the foam blocks.

"Yes," another pause came as she listened intensively to whatever she was being told.

Moments later, she lowered the device from her ear and slowly clicked it shut. She looked a little distant as if trying to fathom something out.

"Was that them?" asked Heero quietly, breaking the silence. She nodded.

"It was a little more cryptic than I was hoping," she replied, "he didn't give much away."

"What did he say?" asked Heero.

Noin looked him in the eye. "Expect a delivery tomorrow." she replied.

"That's it?" asked Duo sounding a little confused, "Just 'expect a delivery tomorrow'? Didn't they mention if they'd located the blueprints or anything?"

Suddenly Fumio's ears pricked up. "Blueprints?" he spoke out loud, "blueprints? do you mean _my_ blueprints? Have you located the blueprints to my training program?" he gasped excitedly, "so Lama Banai can fix all that bad reaction stuff in my head now?"

Questioning eyes looked at each other across the room as everyone quickly realised that Heero had not told Fumio about what they were doing. He obviously didn't want to get his brothers' hopes up, only for them to be dashed if the location attempt failed.

Noin suddenly glared at Duo, "Way to go Duo!" she whispered annoyingly.

Duo's expression turned to instant regret as he realised what he'd just done.

"Miss Noin?" continued Fumio excitedly, not hearing her negative comment, "is it true?" he stood up and approached her.

She reached forward and took him gently by the hands, "Fumio," she sighed, uncertain of the best way to respond to his question. Quickly she decided the safest policy was to play it down.

"Fumio-chan, we're not sure, it's probably nothing. We've done some digging around, but that's all. You already know that it's unlikely those blueprints will be found."

Fumio looked disappointed. He reluctantly nodded, "I know," he whispered.

"This is just a very _minor_ lead, nothing more. Now I want you to promise me that you won't go getting your hopes up over this."

Again Fumio nodded, still looking disappointed, "Okay miss Noin. I promise."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

By ten O'clock the next morning, it had become a nervous waiting game.

Heero hadn't slept much that night, neither had Fumio. Despite Noin's obvious playing-down of this potential breakthrough in the search for his training blueprints, Fumio realised there really was a possibility that they had been located and were going to be delivered that day.

Even with promising Noin that he wouldn't get his hopes up, he couldn't help but remain optimistic.

Most of the group were sat in the lounge when the knock at the door finally came.

About a minute later, the lounge door opened and Quatre showed in a mysterious looking character.

"Guys, this is Yoshiyuki San," he said, introducing the man to the group.

He was a fairly tall man, of Japanese origin. He was in his late forties and wore dark, almost official-looking suit; Clean polished black shoes, black trousers and a large black, cloak-like Macintosh covering a dark shirt. His face was thin. His eyes clear and focused. Many of the group quietly realised that this was not an ordinary person.

Heero's instincts were telling him to be cautious. He discreetly pressed his back against the cushion of the seat to make sure the pistol he had hidden there was still safely in place, then he sat forward ready to act should the need arise.

The man scanned his eyes around the room at the group; he seemed to hesitate momentarily when he saw the two brothers. Heero was quick to note this, as was Wufei.

"Good morning," spoke Yoshiyuki politely, in a kindly and gentle voice. A slight smile sat on his face. "I believe you have been expecting me."

Instantly Heero's concentration was drawn. "I know that voice, I'm sure of it," he thought silently inside his head, "those eyes, that look. There's something very familiar about this man, _but what_?" he couldn't recall.

Several of the group returned the greeting with nods and gestures. Under his arm the man carried a grey document wallet. He slipped it out from under his arm and began to unzip it. Meanwhile Quatre had pulled him up a chair, which he happily moved over and sat down on.

"I have been authorised to pass on this document to you," he said, still unzipping the bag. His voice seemed to change to a more official, authoritative tone. "I understand you have been searching for this for some time."

He withdrew the document and placed the empty wallet on the floor. As he did so, all eyes were focused on what he was doing. Meanwhile, no one seemed to notice Fumio slip silently away to the furthest corner of the room.

The man sat the document on his knees. It was a document compiled into pages that were about an inch in thickness. Everyone could see the words 'Top Secret' stamped on the front cover.

"This is not the original document," he continued. "I can inform you that the original was unfortunately destroyed during the war, however," he paused for a moment, "backup copies were made of certain documents, particularly those pertaining to the _wider_ global interest."

His words were met with a number or raised eyebrows. There was a general feeling that this was a highly knowledgeable man Just the sense of presence he seemed to radiate, told the observer that he knew things, he knew a _lot_ of things.

"I'm pleased to tell you that we were able to generate a new copy from the backups," he continued, his voice suddenly seeming to loose its authoritative edge, "It should be identical to the original."

The man leaned across and handed the document straight to Heero, looking him in the eye as he did so.

Heero nodded appreciatively.

"He chose to hand it to me on purpose," thought Heero silently to himself as he leaned forward and took possession of the booklet, "He knows _exactly_ who I am. but how? How did he know to hand it to me?"

He thought hard, trying to recollect why or how he knew this man, or had at least where he had encountered him before. The others had also begun to grow suspicious, although nobody said anything out loud. They all realised this man knew who Heero was.

As Yoshiyuki began to speak some more, Sally glanced over to where Fumio had been sat. She was intending to give him a smiling thumbs-up, to confirm that things were about to get a whole lot better for him, but his seat was empty.

A look of slight confusion sat on her face as she scanned her eyes further back into the room to see where he had gone. She spotted one of his feet poking out from behind a piece of furniture in the far corner of the room. A slight smile appeared on her face for a moment, thinking he was playing some sort of a game. She quietly stood up and approached, but as he came into view she quickly realised this was no game.

Fumio had huddled himself into the small gap in the corner of the room between a large piece of furniture and the wall. He was physically trembling and shaking, cowering like a cornered animal.

"Fumio?" she said, urgently crouching down to him. "what's the matter, what's wrong?"

The rest of the group began to twist around in their chairs to see what was going on. Heero stood up, followed by some of the others. The man remained seated, observing.

"Fumio?" called Sally again, her voice sounding concerned. Fumio's breathing was rapid and panting, his stare fixed out ahead. He didn't respond to Sally's call.

"What's wrong?" urged Noin rushing over.

"I'm not sure" replied Sally, "but this looks similar to what happened the night of the thunderstorm." She tried again to get a response but the boys' eyes remained fixed ahead, staring into nothing.

Sally grabbed the mini torch on her keyring and shone it into each of the small monk's eyes, "This is like some kind of conditioned response."

By now the rest of the group were stood up and looking concernedly towards the corner of the room where the boy was. Yoshiyuki, who had been sat quietly observing finally stood up and stepped forward a few paces.

"Is the lad all right?" he asked in an unruffled, but concerned-sounding voice, "is there anything I can do to help?"

As the man approached, Fumio began panicking more, trying to back himself further into the corner, almost trying to push his way through the wall to get away.

Sally stood up and span around gesturing for the man not to come any closer. "I don't know how or why, but I think it's _you_ who seem to be the cause!" she said, her voice suddenly sounding annoyed.

Sally's words jarred a brief flashback in Heero's mind. Suddenly, he span around and stared coldly at the mysterious man.

"Wait a minute," he gasped, "I thought there was something familiar about you." he spoke in a loud, dry voice, "You! You were one of them, weren't you?" he demanded, pointing a finger at him. The room fell silent.

"One of who? Heero?" asked Duo.

"You were one of the Foundation assassins!"

Before the man had the chance to respond, two blurry figures rushed past Heero's eyes, and moments later, three bodies went crashing to the floor. Duo and Wufei had the man pinned down.

"So, you're one of those scumbags who thinks it's okay to torture little kids in the guise of training?" demanded Wufei, his hands around the man's throat, yelling into his face, "That boy's life has been ruined because of what you, and others like you did to him."

Despite his, now apparent, highly skilled fighting abilities, Yoshiyuki just lay there, not even attempting to resist. He stared back at Wufei, their faces just a few inches apart. As they stared, Wufei clearly saw something in the man's eyes. It was an unquestionable look of deep remorse.

It disarmed him slightly, until visions of the time when the foundation assassins beat Fumio into a coma entered his mind to re-fuel his anger once more.

Wufei began to press his thumb into a pressure point on the man's throat.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your life right here and now," he demanded through grit teeth.

Finally, Yoshiyuki gave a subdued response.

"The… the fireplace!" he gasped, choking from Wufei's grip around his throat, "Heero Yuy, remember the incident, the fireplace," he was straining to turn his face towards Heero.

"The fireplace, what's he talking about?" commented Duo, still helping Wufei in pinning the man to the floor.

Heero suddenly closed his eyes and gave a tired sigh as further memories were brought back to him.

His shoulders drooped slightly. "Let him go Wufei," he said in a quiet voice.

"But Heero," yelled Wufei, "he's one of those bastards responsible for all the suffering you and Fumio went through."

Heero sighed again and subtly shook his head. "No, he's not," came another subdued reply.

"But Heero," urged Wufei again.

"Just let him up Wufei," Heero repeated more firmly, "it's all right, he is not a threat."

Reluctantly Wufei and Duo got off the man and hauled him onto his feet.

Wufei stood right next to him. "I'm still not letting you out of my sight." he commented, "and if you think you can try to scare or intimidate me, like you've done to that boy, then think again."

"Just let it go Wufei," urged Heero again, hearing his comments.

Wufei looked back at him with a confused expression, not understanding how he could be so unthreatened by this man's presence.

Meanwhile, sally was still trying to coax Fumio back but was having little success. She turned to face the rest of the group, "Guys," her voice was urgent and slightly annoyed, "he's having some kind of flashback and all the time you're arguing and fighting, you're just pushing him deeper into it. Right now I don't care whose to blame I just need everyone out of the room right now!"

There was a moment's silence before Quatre took the initiative.

"You heard her, come on, everybody out, lets go!" He called in a commanding but non-patronising tone, "Let's all move to the kitchen."

Without question, everyone quickly filtered out of the room, doing as Quatre had ordered.

They reached the kitchen.

Wufei still remained standing close to Yoshiyuki, he'd almost frog-marched him there. "No matter what Heero says, I still see you as my enemy right now," he said sternly, "I must admit you had a lot of guts coming here like this, especially after it's now obvious you knew Heero and Fumio would both be here. Just bear in mind that if the boy is damaged any further by this, you will have to answer to me!"

Heero's assumption was correct. Yoshiyuki was indeed an ex-assassin of the foundation and was a highly skilled fighter, but even when his very life was threatened, he never once attempted to fight back, or even defend himself. Although not a permanent fixture, the look of remorse and regret kept returning to his face.

"Wufei, I won't ask you again," said Heero dryly, "just let the man go, and calm down. I told you before, I do not believe he poses a threat."

Wufei pulled out a chair out from the kitchen table and forced the man to sit on it. "Not a threat?" he raised his voice, "Heero, just the sound of that guy's voice has made Fumio-chan totally loose it and freak out. Damn it Heero! Don't you get it? I don't think I've ever seen such an intense look of fear on someone's face before. It's made me understand the true extent of the hell that you were both forced to endure." Wufei span round and pointed at the man, "so how can you expect me to be calm and accepting when _there_ sits the very reason for all of that suffering, right there, him, and the others like him."

Heero sighed. "As I said before Wufei, he is not who you think he is. You're barking up the wrong tree."

"You said he was one of the foundation assassins," stated Wufei, in a tone of voice demanding an explanation. He paused, suddenly thinking back to earlier, "Wait a minute, he said something about a fireplace?" his voice began to calm slightly, "what did he mean by that? What was this fireplace incident he referred to?"

Heero sighed again as he cast his mind back to those painful times during the assassin attacks. He pulled out a chair and sank into it on the opposite side of the kitchen table to Yoshiyuki.

"There was an incident, actually, there were a number of incidents which made me realize that not _all_ of the assassins were against us." He said quietly.

Wufei calmed down some more. He too pulled out a chair and sat down next to the man to listen.

"The fireplace incident was one of the reasons I was able to make it through the training without loosing my mind, like Fumio did."

The rest of the group, who were all milling around close-by, listened carefully.

"So what happened?" asked Noin.

Heero explained, "It was a pretty intense attack that night. We were outnumbered by about five to one. I'd managed to escape into another building and was hiding out in a downstairs room when one of them found me."

Heero sat his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his clenched hands for a moment, as the memories grew stronger and more impacting.

"We fought for several minutes. It was one of the hardest fights I can remember from those days. I tried everything I knew, but this guy just wouldn't stop. Eventually he wound up throwing me against the large fireplace that was in the room. I smashed my head against it and blacked out for a few seconds. By the time I came-to, the assassin had grabbed a heavy iron prong from the side of the fireplace and was about to smash it across my skull."

Looks of varying degrees of abhorrence appeared on the faces of the others.

"It sounds like he could have killed you Heero," suggested Trowa, speaking for the first time since Yoshiyuki had arrived.

Heero looked at him and nodded. "I thought it was all over. After blacking out, it was all I could do just to hold my arms up to protect myself, but then, in the darkened room I saw another figure creeping up behind this man. Before I knew it, my attacker was rendered unconscious. As he fell to the floor, I saw another assassin standing behind him. He crouched down and spoke to me. I was still a little dazed from blacking out, but I will never forget those words.

He said to me, 'We must hurry if you are to avoid the others', Heero peeled his eyes back to the Japanese man sat opposite him, "and it was _your_ voice that delivered those words that night, wasn't it."

After a long pause, the man reluctantly nodded.

Heero continued to look the man in the eye. "He asked if I could walk, but I couldn't, so he helped me up and found a place to hide me before directing the searching assassins away from my location." Heero ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "That one act of mercy, may have changed the course of history as we now know it."

Wufei still remained sceptical. He suddenly struck his fist against the kitchen table, "Heero, I hear what you've said, but this man can't possibly be the person you referred to, otherwise why would Fumio have reacted to him so badly?"

Heero looked back at him, "I don't believe Fumio fear's him personally, only what he represents, or rather, represented."

Wufei cussed and folded his arms, "But I still don't get it, why? Why show up now? Why now, all these years later?"

This time it was Noin's turn to thump her fist on the table. "How could my contact have been so foolish!" she spoke angrily, "Why would he send a ghost from the past, to re-open the wounds that you two have been trying so hard to close? How could he do such a damaging thing?"

Yoshiyuki, who, up until now had remained silent, cleared his throat and finally began to talk. "You should know that your contact was very reluctant to send me, but you must not blame him. It took a great deal of persuading to get him to give me this assignment."

The man's voice was calm and quiet, but his tone was that of a disillusioned soul, saddened and tired of life.

"It is most regrettable that the boy responded to my presence in the way that he has." Continued Yoshiyuki remorsefully, "please believe that it was never my intention for anything like this to happen, and I am so very sorry it turned out this way. It only goes to reinforce upon me the damage I have done."

"Well hey-whoopee-do," remarked Duo in a sarcastic, annoyed voice, "the guy's just discovered the true consequences of his work," his tone suddenly grew angrier, "but he had to inflict yet more suffering even to find that out! Hey, if you've come here looking for some kind of absolution, then you're way too late for that buddy-boy, the God of death is watching you, and believe me, he ain't impressed!"

Yoshiyuki looked sorrowfully at the table and sighed. "My life is of no significance. It finished the day I joined the Foundation. By ending it, you would be doing me a great service."

"Eh?" gasped Duo suddenly taken aback by the man's submissive reply.

"All I can do now is to live out my life trying to undo as much of the damage and suffering that I, and my so-called colleagues have caused," he continued dejectedly.

"Is that why you requested the assignment to come here today?" asked Noin, now in a more compassionate tone. The man looked up at her, nodding.

Heero sat back in his chair and sighed. Part of him was still quietly fretting about Fumio, but he knew he was in Sally's safe, proficient hands. He had seen Fumio endure many of these flashbacks in the previous months and was confident that he would be okay. He was also relieved that, now the blueprints had been recovered, Lama Banai back at the monastery would be able to cure Fumio completely of these troublesome reactionary problems once and for all.

Eventually Heero spoke to the man. "I don't understand how your coming here is supposed to help undo anything?" he said, "what happened, happened, we can't change the past."

The man nodded, "That is true, but there is a lot of information you don't know, especially about the foundation assassins, as you called them. It is my hope that by filling in the blanks, you will able to have a fuller understanding of why things happened the way they did during those terrible times. I hope that with such knowledge, you will both be able to move forward with your lives more easily."

"You know, after all you've said, I'm still reluctant to believe you." stressed Wufei, "I still think this could be some kind of a trap or a set-up, has anyone actually frisked this guy for a weapon?"

"No, he's really telling the truth Wufei," came a small, trembling voice from the kitchen doorway.

"Fumio!" peeped Noin as she rushed over to him, "thank goodness," she gasped, quickly pulling him into a firm hug.

"Hey," called Duo, cracking a smile for a second, then looked serious again, "you okay now kid?"

Fumio nodded. "Thank you," he replied peering from over Noin's shoulder as they embraced.

The others looked visibly relieved as the boy entered the room and stood on the opposite side of the table to Yoshiyuki, next to Heero.

"You okay?" asked Heero quietly, Fumio looked at him for a moment and nodded appreciatively, before peeling his eyes towards Yoshiyuki.

They looked at each other. Fumio could clearly see the sorrow in the man's eyes, and feel the genuine remorse his soul seemed to be emitting.

"You've no reason to fear me child," said the man in a subdued, kindly voice.

Fumio nodded, "I know," he replied in an empathic whisper.

"But you're still shaking," said the man, observing the boy's still badly trembling stance and erratic breathing, "you look completely terrified. Is it really my presence that makes you experience so much fear?" he asked.

Sally walked over and stood behind Fumio, placing a hand on each of his shoulders.

"What you're seeing, this trembling and erratic breathing," she explained, "is the result of an intense mental conditioning. It has such a hold on him, that it's taking every last ounce of his willpower just to be able to stand here in front of you without lapsing into the state he was in a few minutes ago."

The anger and stress in Sally's voice was obvious, even though she was trying hard to suppress it.

She continued, "This response to your presence is as automatic and normal to Fumio, as blinking and breathing is to any of us. It is so ingrained into his mind, it could take a lifetime to rid him of it."

As she spoke, a single tear rolled down Yoshiyuki's right cheek.

Sally continued talking in her stern tone, ignoring his obvious remorse. "Despite my advising against it, he insisted on coming in here and facing you. So why don't you just hurry up and say what's on your mind and then leave us alone?"

Yoshiyuki looked desperately regretful at the trembling boy. "Words fail me, I never realized it was so extreme. The damage is much greater than I ever realized." He whispered quietly.

Suddenly he took a breath, then sat upright, "Yes… yes of course. I don't want to cause any more suffering than I already have. My reason for coming here is as I've already stated; to try to help undo whatever damage I can, to right some of the wrongs. I believe I can do that by providing you with the missing information. The blanks in the knowledge you both have about your pasts, so that hopefully, you can move on with your lives more easily."

"Look," Heero sighed again, "I understand why you might think that, but I'm not sure digging around in either mine or Fumio's pasts is going to make things any better. Some things from the past are just best left alone and forgotten. However, there is one thing I do want to know."

"Anything," replied the man.

"I want to know why you helped me that night, and then all those other times afterwards?"

Yoshiyuki nodded, understanding Heero's need to know. Fumio slipped quietly on to the chair beside his brother to hear the reply.

Yoshiyuki began his explanation. "When they told us that we were to be testing the fighting abilities of highly trained soldiers, we didn't think for one moment they meant we would be fighting children. I can tell you it was quite a shock the first time we encountered you. At first we thought it was some kind of sick joke, but soon the reality struck home."

Yoshiyuki shuffled forward in his chair. The look of sorrow remained in his eyes.

"Several of the assassins protested but were immediately re-assigned to duties on distant colonies, we never heard from them again. Although many of the assassins simply accepted it and got on with the assignment, there was a group of us who simply couldn't tolerate what was being asked of us, however, we realised that if we complained, we would just be shipped off to other assignments and the attacks would go on regardless. So instead, we each agreed to go along with the program, but to assist you discreetly in any way that we could. The incident with the fireplace was the first of such assistances."

The man sighed deeply again, and continued, "It wasn't easy, especially as some of the other assassins outside of our group seemed to be actually enjoying it. It was sickening to hear them talking in the deployment transporters before a mission, about how badly they intended to harm you. There were some truly evil characters amongst them, including the one who nearly killed you Heero, at the fireplace, and the ones who put you Fumio into a coma, that time towards the end, when you refused to fight back."

The man cast his saddened eyes towards Fumio. "I am so very, _very_ sorry that we were unable to help you that night," he whispered as his eyes started to glaze with tears, "our numbers were randomly chosen to attend each mission. It seems a cruel twist of fate that _none_ of our group were chosen that night. When we heard what had happened, some of our group began actually plotting to eliminate the evil ones who had done it, but by then, your attackers had already been moved on to other assignments."

The man finished speaking and the room stayed silent for a few moments as everyone took on-board what they had heard.

"Thank you," whispered Fumio, his voice still trembling, "thank you for worrying about us, and thank you for trying."

Yoshiyuki looked compassionately at the boy. "Your benevolent nature was obvious from the very first time we encountered you. Even now, you remain so kind-hearted and forgiving, but I certainly didn't come here to receive thanks from you." he said. "I was a part of something that was evil and despicable that nearly destroyed you both. I just did what I could to try to help minimize the damage.

Yoshiyuki turned to face Heero, "I fully realise why you said you don't want to delve back into your past right now. It is something I anticipated, and prepared for." He reached into his pocked and produced a booklet. It was about the size of a regular paper novel but without a cover. Anonymous white sleeves gave no indication of its content. He placed it on the table in front of him.

"This is the _only_ one of its kind. It is unique and no other copy or backup has been, or ever will be made. It is a journal, _my_ journal, and it covers the events and mindset of the people running the Foundation from the moment that both of you were adopted." He slid the book slowly across the table surface to Heero. "All of the answers to any questions you may have are in here. I _implore_ you, if your thoughts are to discard it right now, please, just put it somewhere safe. There is information in here that could help or even save either of you later in life."

Heero just looked at the man, expressionless.

"Look, I know you don't want to go dragging up the past right now, but if you won't hold onto it for yourself Heero, then do it for his sake, _please_!" He pointed at Fumio.

Eventually Heero began to nod subtly, understanding what the man was saying.

"We will keep it safe and not discard it," he spoke quietly, "you have my word."

An expression of relief appeared on the man's face as he nodded approvingly and pulled his hand away from the book, leaving it in Heero's possession.

"It does seem to me, that you're being unreasonably hard on yourself," commented Noin, who remained perched against one of the worktops, her arms folded. "Despite what you got yourself involved in, it sounds like you did all the right things to try to make things better. If you think about it, it's possible that any one of us could have fallen into the same trap that you found yourself in."

Quatre added his comments, "And you did what anyone here would have done if they had found themselves in the same situation. You tried to make good the situation by applying your skills to protect rather than cause harm. As far as I'm concerned, that's _got_ to count for something."

The man shook his head. "You don't understand, just by being associated with that despicable organization, my integrity as a man and a fighter will always be non-existent. The truth is, I simply did not do enough. It was always too little, too late, and most of the time it was my own fear that held me back."

Yoshiyuki looked sorrowfully at the table and sighed. "I can never allow myself to believe that my life had even the slightest degree of honour. All I am willing to do now is live a life of absolute penance, keeping to the shadows, just trying to make things right, helping to do what I can, when I can. That is, unless…" Yoshiyuki reached up into the sleeve of his coat and moments later pulled out an automatic pistol which he placed on the table in front of Heero.

Heero looked at him blankly. "Hmm," he muttered, "so you think that my killing you in revenge would make things better somehow?" His voice was monotone and emotionless.

"I told you, I'm prepared to do whatever I can to undo the damage I have done," replied Yoshiyuki dryly.

Heero picked up the weapon and examined it. "Hmm, nice touch, low-velocity hollow points, should do the job quickly, although not very cleanly."

"Touché" replied the man, shrugging his shoulders.

Heero continued to stare at him blankly, "I'm afraid revenge is not my style. Anyway, personally I don't have a problem with you living. If I wanted to seek revenge, my targets would have been those truly evil ones you described earlier, not someone who actually tried to help us. No, my killing days are well and truly over, and when you live in a monastery for five months, some things tend to rub off on you. But I can only speak for myself."

Heero turned his eyes towards his brother sat beside him. "How about you Fumio? do you feel the need to take revenge?" Heero offered the gun, handle-first to the small monk.

Fumio looked at him with a horrified expression. "Heero, what are you doing?" he gasped, "no, of course I don't want to."

"Now think about this _carefully_ for a moment Fumio," continued Heero Dryly, "are you _sure_? I'm not talking to you, Fumio Yuy the boy monk, I'm talking to you, Gundam pilot zero one-Alpha, the one who has been scarred for life by what this man and those with him did to you. To rid the world of this man could even be enough to stop your hands from shaking, maybe even stop the flashbacks too."

Fumio's horrified expression gradually began to increase as Heero continued, "aren't you angry? Isn't there a single seed of hatred inside you that makes you want to get back at this man for what he did to you?" Heero's voice began to grow more urgent, "here's your chance Fumio! Right here, right now! All you've got to do is pull the trigger!"

Fumio continued shaking his head negatively, "No Heero, stop it, stop it!" he cried, now starting to become visibly upset.

"Heero, get a grip!" suddenly interrupted Noin.

"Come off it Heero, what are you playing at? What the hell's wrong with you?" added Wufei, sounding angry, "Enough already!"

Heero stopped talking, pausing for a moment then gave a sigh. He took the gun away from in front of Fumio and placed it back on the table in front of the man. Then he reached up and cupped his hand gently onto Fumio's neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered rubbing the boy's shoulder in a reassuring gesture, "I know you would never have entertained the idea, but I felt it was necessary to prove a point to our, _friend_ here."

Yoshiyuki slowly nodded and took back the gun, replacing it in the concealed holster up his sleeve.

"I understand what you have done here today," he said, "I came here expecting revenge and hatred from you, or at the very least, some anger, but it would seem that both of you have already moved on. I am glad."

"I don't really care if you choose to throw away your life by living and dwelling in the past, but it would be a mistake to do it in the belief that it is somehow making things right for us." Suggested Heero, "Move on and forget about us. Go home in the knowledge that we hold no grudges and want for nothing more than to just get on with our lives in peace. If it makes you feel any better, then we'll consider the blueprints and this journal to be a final payment. The account is now closed, there is nothing more owing."

Yoshiyuki listened carefully as Heero spoke, subtly nodding.

"Actually, there is just one more thing." came the voice of an old man.

Suddenly all eyes turned for the doorway.

In the doorway leading to the main hall stood an oldish man in his seventies. A Buddhist monk dressed in traditional red robes with a saffron yellow tunic visible at the neck and sleeves. He had a kindly, weathered face engraved with wrinkles that told of a thousand stories.

"Lama Banai!" gasped Fumio, bouncing to his feet and eagerly rushing over to greet the cheerful monk.

"Hello Fumio, my boy," he happily replied. Without hesitation, Fumio threw his arms around him and buried his head against the monks' chest. Lama Banai happily returned the eager embrace.

"I hope you have been keeping well Fumio, and you too Heero. Everyone has been anxious for your safe return.

Heero nodded to the man, "It is good to see you again Lama, although, I am a little confused."

Still in their embrace, Fumio looked up at him, "Yes, how come you are here Lama?"

The old monk smiled, "Because today Fumio, we are going to be part of a very, very special event." he replied in an excited voice.

Fumio pulled away and looked at him oddly, "What event Lama?" he asked.

The man smiled again, "Why don't you let me show you," he replied, peeling his eyes around the room acknowledging everyone. They came to a halt on Quatre. "Ah, Mr Winner I presume?"

Quatre nodded.

Lama Banai took a long, respectful bow. "Please, forgive this intrusion into the precious sanctity your beautiful home."

Quatre gestured that it was not a problem.

"If you have no objections, there are a few others who are with me."

Quatre nodded again.

Lama Banai gestured to the door at the back of the kitchen. Nobody had noticed the dozen or so monks who had gathered silently outside the door. It opened and without a sound the other monks filtered silently into the room. Their hands were held together in prayer as they each bowed to the Lama and then to the group as the entered.

"Fugita-san, Noriko, Oji!" called Fumio excitedly, grinning, "has everyone come here Lama?" he asked.

"No not everyone," replied the Lama, "the others are all at the monastery awaiting your safe return."

The Gundam group all looked a little dumbstruck, but observed silently as the gathering of monks began to assemble around the table area.

Yoshiyuki remained seated, but somehow the others could tell that he knew what this was about.

"Fumio, could you come and sit over here for a minute?" asked Lama Banai, indicating for him to sit on the chair next to Yoshiyuki.

Fumio complied and the lama sat down next to him.

"Lama, what is going on? Why is everyone here?" asked Fumio slightly anxiously.

"Do not be worried Fumio," replied the Lama, who turned his eyes to Yoshiyuki.

"If you are the person whom I think you are, then I do believe you are holding onto something that belongs to Fumio."

Slowly, an almost tearful smile formed on Yoshiyuki's face. "Then it really is true, isn't it?" he gasped, "He really is… the one."

Lama Banai gave a subtle nod, "This will be the test." He replied cryptically. "Do you have the item?"

Yoshiyuki nodded.

"Wait a minute, what Item? what test?" said Heero jumping to his feet, "what are you talking about? what are you going to do? Lama?"

The kindly man looked at Heero gesturing for him to calm down. "Heero, please do not worry yourself," he replied calmly, "do you honestly believe we would expose Fumio to any kind of harm or danger?"

Heero slowly sank back down onto his chair. "I guess not," he replied in a subdued voice, "this is a very, very special and important moment," continued Lama Banai, "Heero, just observe, be witness to it."

Heero reluctantly nodded, and they continued.

Yoshiyuki reached into his coat and pulled out a security belt that he had strapped around his middle. He placed it on the table and unzipped it, then pulled from it a small wooden box about the size of a small cigar box. He handed the box to Lama Banai.

Lama Banai looked at Fumio, who eyed the box with curiously. "Fumio, this is the final piece of the jigsaw," he spoke softly.

The Lama slowly opened the box to reveal what looked like a large rose quartz stone sunken into a golden broach-like retaining frame engraved with strange hieroglyphic-looking markings.

There were gasps as everyone's caught a glimpse of the, quite beautiful object they could all see.

"This Fumio, is much, much older than you, and even older than me," grinned the Lama in a whispered voice, "It's not hundreds, or even thousands of years old, but is believed to be from the very dawn of time itself."

Fumio peered curiously at the object. "But what is it Lama?" he whispered.

"You'll see," was the cryptic reply. "Fujita San," he called.

Fujita stepped forward and carefully took the object into his white-gloved hands, scrutinising the hieroglyphic wording around the gold. He pulled out a curious electronic device from his pocket and proceeded to scan the object. A few moments later, he looked up at Lama Banai, with an excited expression.

"It appears to be genuine Lama!" he gasped, "it's frequency is accurate to fifty decimal places, just as the texts said it would be," a broad smile appeared on his face, "Lama, this is it," he gasped again, "this is it!"

An excited whispering could be heard amongst the other monks.

At that moment, Yoshiyuki stood up, "It's time for me to leave," he said dryly, "I do not deserve to be a part of this." He moved away from the table and began heading for the door.

He turned to face Heero and Fumio one last time. "Once again, I am sorry for the past, but am glad to see you are both moving forward now. I wish you both long and fruitful lives. I will contact you no further."

"You sure you want to leave?" asked Heero, "you don't have to."

"It would be better if I left, besides, there's somewhere I have to be."

"Where?" asked Heero.

Yoshiyuki looked at him and paused for a moment, "home," he eventually replied.

Heero looked at him for a moment, nodding approvingly.

Yoshiyuki nodded thankfully and began heading for the doorway, at which point Heero got up and joined him, "I'll see you out," he gestured.

"I guess you've waited a long time for this," suggested Heero as they slowly walked along the hallway towards the main front door of the mansion.

Yoshiyuki nodded silently.

"Look," said Heero hesitantly, thinking carefully about what he was going to say, "I don't know what your intentions are now, but, I want you to do me a favour, _no_ , two favours."

The man enquired what they were.

"Firstly, I want you to stay alive," said Heero, "just don't do anything stupid."

Yoshiyuki glanced sideways at him, raising an eyebrow, "and the second?" he asked dryly.

"Second, if you intend to disappear in any serious way, then please, leave some kind of clue, just a few breadcrumbs, so I can find you if I have to."

"In case you change your mind about killing me?"

Heero shook his head, "No, but if you want your life to have some honour again, and I mean _real_ honour, then there may be a way, just make sure you do as I've asked."

Yoshiyuki thought for a moment as he opened the huge front door. "Very well, I will do as you ask," he replied dryly. Then he turned and began heading down the stone steps towards an anonymous black car waiting on the gravel drive.

"Oh, by the way, you might want this back" called Heero, throwing him the magazine clip from the gun that Yoshiyuki had offered him earlier. The man caught it with ease.

A slight grin formed on Yoshiyuki's face, "you unloaded it," he said, sounding surprised, "I'm impressed, I didn't see you do that."

"If you think I'd be cruel enough to hand Fumio a loaded weapon like that, especially after he's come this far, then you can think again," replied Heero.

Yoshiyuki nodded, understanding, his admiration and respect for Heero doubling there and then.

After a final nod and a smile, he continued on his way, never to return.

Heero wandered back into the kitchen.

"History will record that Yoshiyuki san, the courier, left at this time," commented Lama Banai.

"His sacrifices and efforts will not go unacknowledged."

"Do you know who that was Lama?" asked Heero.

Lama Banai nodded, "Although I have not met him until today, there is no doubt that he was the one who has been providing us with reliable intelligence information for the past four years, constantly keeping us one step ahead of those wishing to bring harm to Fumio.

Heero looked shocked, as did Fumio, "you mean he's been looking out for us all this time?"

Lama Banai nodded, "And I'm sure he will go on doing the same thing," he added.

Wufei leaned forward. "I guess I was wrong about him," he said hesitantly, "I actually feel guilty now for being so hard on him."

"Do not worry yourself my young friend," suggested the Lama, "I'm sure he knows that, he is an intelligent man, he will understand." He turned his eyes back to Fumio, "now then young master Yuy, shall we proceed?"

Fumio nodded, and sat down in the chair that Yoshiyuki had previously sat in.

The strange stone was passed around the room to the monks, who each in turn seemed to quote something in the ancient language whilst gesturing a kind-of blessing over it. Eventually it was returned to Lama Banai.

"What is this stone Lama?" asked Fumio, "why is it so special?"

Lama Banai looked kindly at him, "That's what we're about to find out," he said, finally offering the stone to Fumio.

At first, the boy seemed reluctant to take it, afraid of what might happen.

"It's all right," whispered the Lama, "it was always meant to belong to you, you have nothing to fear from it."

Slowly, gently, Fumio took the stone from Lama Banai and held it in his small, cupped hands, examining it curiously. As he looked closer, the other monks began leaning in, watching it carefully as if expecting something to happen.

"Do you sense anything?" asked Lama Banai in a whisper.

"It's heavy, heavier than I thought it would be." replied Fumio. He looked closer.

Deep within the translucent stone's centre, a faint glow began to appear, gradually getting brighter as if coming to life. The excited whispering returned amongst, not only the monks, but now the rest of the Gundam group as the light gradually grew brighter.

Suddenly Fumio let out an excited gasp.

"I hear it, Lama! Its… its trying to communicate with me!" he beamed excitedly at the old monk.

Lama Banai nodded his head approvingly, as if that's what he was expecting.

"What is it saying Fumio?" he whispered.

A now, slightly giggling grin was fixed on Fumio's face, "Its… It's saying… Hello!"


	22. Chapter 22 (Final)

**Chapter - Twenty-Two (Final Chapter)  
**

For several minutes Fumio continued to stare at the stone as if locked in a deep-thought conversation with it. The smile never left his face.

Eventually, the artefact's glow began to fade until it became dormant once again.

Fumio seemed to come out of his trance-like state with a contented sigh.

"Wow!" he gasped quietly.

"What just happened there Fumio?" asked Noin.

Fumio looked up at her, "They were communicating with me" he beamed, "it was incredible!" his voice became excited, "and I think they've just somehow given me a load of new information. It's like it's just been uploaded it into my head. It's so strange, but I feel like know a lot of the answers to everything that's happening here."

"You wanna fill us in a little?" asked Duo, "because frankly, I've been confused from the moment our orange-robed friends arrived. How can a stone communicate with you? Do you mean, like, a little guy is living inside it or something?"

Fumio grinned, "Not quite Duo-san, it's hard to describe, but I think I've got a basic understanding of it…"

The room quietened down as he began to explain. The monks seemed as keen to hear his words as the Gundam gang were.

"I think the Stone is a bit like a radio receiver and transmitter, except it spans all space and time in the universe."

There were several whispered murmurs as he explained.

"I know this is going to sound very strange, but while I was concentrating on it just now, I could hear many other consciousnesses intercepting with my own thoughts. It was like they were trying to reach out to me so they could communicate with me."

His face frowned as he concentrated hard, trying to put into words the amazing new thoughts and ideas now swimming around in his head.

"I'm sorry, this is hard to explain in words, but…" He looked up at the Gundam Group, "but there is another who might be able to explain it better than I can."

"What do you mean?" Asked Duo.

Fumio peeled his eyes towards Quatre. "I believe Mr Quatre knows what I'm talking about."

Suddenly all eyes were on Quatre.

"Me?" he looked confused, "I don't understand, how could I know?"

Fumio did not reply but just looked back at him, nodding slightly, urging him to think carefully.

"Wait a minute," suddenly gasped Quatre, "do you mean the… _the heart of space_?" he asked in a gasped whisper.

Fumio nodded, "They told me that you were capable of sensing some things related to this," replied Fumio, "what do you mean by the heart of space?"

Quatre thought for a moment, "Well, the heart of space is the name I've given to a feeling I sometimes get inside my heart whenever something major or significant happens." he replied.

"Can you describe it more?" asked Fumio.

Quatre nodded. "It sounds a bit silly, but it's as if all things are inextricably linked throughout nature and the cosmos. Whenever something significant happens, it's as if there is a ripple, a kind of shockwave that resonates across the whole universe."

Fumio smiled, "It's not silly at all," he replied, "in fact, what you're saying is matching this new information I have in my head."

"Really?" gasped Quatre looking surprised.

Fumio nodded, "I think that what you've been able to sense is of a similar nature to what I just sensed from the stone. The only difference is, that what you can sense Quatre San, is the resonance of the entire cosmic consciousness. What I seemed to sense coming from the stone was just a small number of very selective consciences or minds."

Lama Banai, who had been listening very carefully, suddenly clapped his hands together in gleeful excitement. "Yes!" he gasped animatedly.

Fumio turned his enquiring eyes towards him.

"Fumio, the consciousnesses you speak of, are from the pure minds of the greatest saints and humanitarians this Earth and the wider universe has ever seen. There are many, from all eras, and they span across all sentient species. They are the chosen, who, like you, have been blessed with very special and unique gifts, positive gifts of good that they can use to try to help influence and steer the universe onto the ultimate path of universal peace. Fumio, this is so exciting!" he gasped again, unable to contain his exhilaration, "what you have described, is _exactly_ what has been written in the historical texts."

Fumio looked at him with slight confusion. "You mean you already knew what was going to happen Lama?"

Lama Banai nodded. "Oh yes, we all did, but it was imperative that we kept this information from you, and that you told us about what you have discovered with the stone using your _own_ words. Your testimony today has validated the ancient texts beyond all doubt!" he continued in an excited voice.

"Today Fumio you had your first lesson from the very consciousness of the universe itself. The new information the stone provided you with, was just preliminary data to answer your immediate questions. Over time, it will gradually provide you with a vast knowledge of the universe and our reasons for being. You will eventually be using this knowledge, combined with your gifts to make the most profound changes to this world, wonderful changes that will bring about a peace and a richness of life that will lead the Earth to become a shining beacon of hope for the rest of the universe."

There was a numb silence amongst the Gundam group as they tried to digest what Lama Banai had just said.

Eventually, Sally spoke up. She still wasn't entirely convinced about what she had just witnessed or heard. "Lama, isn't this a little heavy to be putting on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old?" she protested. "Surely after everything he's been through, he'd want nothing more than to be able to get on with his life without all of this complication?"

Lama Banai smiled compassionately at her, but before he could speak, Fumio answered her.

"You don't need to be worried about me Miss Sally," he said quietly. "I have known for a long time what my future holds, and if I am to be completely honest with you, I'm very excited about it, even if it does seem a bit scary and crazy at times. If you could change the world and help bring about a new era of peace, well, who wouldn't want to take that opportunity? This is all I've ever really wanted, ever since I first knew about the powers inside me. It just feels so right to me."

"I fully understand your concerns, Miss Po," added Lama Banai, "but it will be years before Fumio is ready to engage fully in this, by then he will be a fully grown adult. Do not worry yourself, Fumio will have a rich and rewarding life, and that includes the rest of his childhood, I will personally promise you that, and we will always continue to do our best to make up for any shortcomings from his earlier years too."

Sally nodded, seeming assured by the Lama's words.

Fumio turned his eyes back to Lama and carefully offered him back the stone, "Lama, please could you keep this somewhere safe?"

Lama Banai gently took it from him, "Of course," he replied, signalling to the other monks, two of whom picked up a small wooden chest from the floor behind them and placed it on the table. They opened it, and the stone was placed carefully inside.

"This will be it's home for now," he suggested.

The Lama stood up and asked the other monks to prepare to return to the Monastery. They all bowed to him, then to the rest of the group, and began to silently shuffle back out of the rear door, taking with them the small wooden chest containing the stone.

The Lama turned to Heero. "Was Yoshiyuki-san able to help you fulfil your mission Heero?"

Heero stared back for a moment, before finally cracking a smile. He nodded, "Yes Lama, the blueprints are here," he replied quietly.

A look of great relief fell onto the old man's face. "That's wonderful news indeed," he turned to Fumio, who was also sporting a cheerful grin. The Lama crouched down and gripped the boy by the shoulders. "I am so happy for you Fumio!" he beamed sincerely, looking affectionately into the young monk's eyes, "now we can get rid of all these troubling issues, once and for all."

Fumio nodded enthusiastically looking happy and grateful. Without saying anything, he leant forward and gave the kindly man a sincere hug, which the lama warmly returned.

"We will be leaving now," Lama Banai said, directing his words to Heero, "Have you decided when you and Fumio are to return to us?"

"Well, I guess now we've got the blueprints, there's no reason why we couldn't return today," Replied Heero. He suddenly saw the look of disappointment on Fumio's face, "or, on the other hand, we could always come home tomorrow, as that's when many of our friends here will be leaving too," he added.

Fumio grinned in obvious approval.

The Lama nodded, agreeing, "A good choice Heero, time spent with friends is very important too," he replied, "so enjoy the rest of your time here, and we'll all look forward to your safe return, both of you, tomorrow." he said, smiling.

The Lama acknowledged the rest of the group with a nod, "It was lovely to meet you all," he said, "and an honour to be able to share this rather important moment with good and decent people. I am sure that our paths will cross again."

The kindly monk affectionately ruffled Fumio's hair, then turned and walked through the door to join the other monks waiting to depart.

The Gundam group watched as the orange-robed monks all walked away in silence.

"What a lovely man," commented Sally quietly. Turning her eyes towards Heero, she smiled, "the monastery Heero, you called it home," she said in surprise, "that's the first time I've ever heard you refer to anywhere as home."

He didn't know how to reply. He just looked at her and shrugged, smiling.

It was around four in the afternoon the next day as Quatre's 4-wheeled-drive vehicle pulled up and parked by a gate at the end of a bumpy forest road. The monastery was about a quarter of a mile further up the mountain track but was inaccessible by vehicle.

The whole group had decided to tag along while Quatre dropped the brothers back at the monastery on the other side of town. They all disembarked and wandered slowly up the forested mountain path together.

Heero had his small rucksack across his shoulder while Wufei insisted on carrying Fumio's small tatty brown suitcase.

It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day. The gang had spent most of it in the Winner mansion gardens just relaxing, and playing games as they had done earlier in the week. Despite the enjoyable time had by all, this day was different. There seemed to be an underlying feel of sadness, as everyone knew this would be the last day they would all be together.

Apart from Duo and Hilde, the others would all be leaving that weekend to continue with their regular lives. Some would be local, others would be far, far away, like Noin, who would be returning to outer space to continue on the terraforming project with Zechs.

Sally and Wufei, would also be returning to space to finish up their work with the Preventers.

There was a sombre mood as the gang walked the along the path. Hardly anyone spoke.

They eventually reached the large wooden perimeter gate of the monastery.

"Well, I guess this is it," said Wufei. Heero nodded.

"Perhaps the next time we see you Heero, you might be in the same clothes as your brother," he said humorously, pointing to the traditional orange robes that Fumio was wearing.

Heero forced a grin, "Well, I don't know about that," he replied, "but I guess anything's possible."

Heero extended a hand to his former comrade, which Wufei took firmly and shook.

"Thanks for everything," said Heero, a hint of sadness in his voice, "I mean it, all of you. I am indebted to you all."

"It's been fun," commented Quatre extending his hand, "and it was great to see you again Heero, to see _everyone_ again," they shook hands, "and to meet new friends too," added Quatre now extending his hand to Fumio.

Fumio was stood close to Heero's side, trying to put on a brave face and not show his sadness, but as everyone continued to say their farewells, his emotions were becoming harder and harder to mask. By the time he got to Noin, tears were streaming down his face.

"I'm not very good at saying goodbye," he sniffed in a whispered, croaky voice, as a teary-faced Noin leant in and gave him a firm hug.

"Neither am I Fumio," she whispered back, sniffing, "neither am I."

They held each other tightly for a long time.

"I'll never forget you," whispered Fumio quietly, at which point Noin gave a suppressed sob and squeezed him even tighter. Then she planted a long kiss tenderly on his forehead. She took one last look at him with her tearful eyes, pressing her fingertips onto his reddened cheeks, then she quickly spun around and began hurrying back down the hill away from the group. "I'll wait for you guys by the car okay," she managed to sniff as she left.

Sally stepped in to take her place as Fumio watched her walking away, wondering if he'd done something wrong.

"Don't worry Fumio-chan," she assured him, her own voice sounding a little saddened, "she'll be okay, she's just really sad at having to say goodbye, that's all."

Fumio nodded, identify with her situation, unable to comment any further through his own tears.

"She's going to miss you very much," whispered Sally, pursing her lips together as her own sadness began to well-up, "and so am I!" she gasped.

Instantly, Fumio flung his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"You know you can visit us here, anytime," he sobbed quietly into her shoulder.

Sally nodded, and cupped her hand onto the back of his head, but she was unable to answer. It was all she could do to stop being overcome with emotion herself.

Eventually, reluctantly, they broke apart.

Heero stepped in and squeezed a reassuring hand onto his brother's shoulder. "Come on," he smiled, ushering Fumio towards the main gate that had been opened by one of the monks who had come down to greet them.

Fumio nodded, and they began slowly walking away towards the monastery entrance, while the rest of the group began the walk back down the hill.

The brothers stopped at the gate and watched as the others, after a final wave, eventually disappeared out of sight around the bend in the track.

Just around the corner, the group found Noin, perched against a large rock at the side of the path, still drying her eyes. On sight of the others, she stood up and walked with them. Trowa put a comforting arm around her as they all continued their solemn walk back to the car.

"Sorry about that guys," she sniffed, "I don't usually get emotional like that."

"Don't worry about it Miss Noin, we completely understand," replied Quatre, who also sounded a little quiet and croaky, "saying goodbye can be so hard sometimes."

Noin grinned as she wiped her eyes again. "I knew I was going to be in trouble from the moment that boy said hello," she chuckled and sniffed again, then gave a long sigh, "such a sweet kid. I'm gonna miss him _so_ much!"

"We all are," added Quatre, "and Heero too, in fact, I'm going to miss all of you guys when you leave."

There were general mumblings of agreement.

"Hey," suddenly chirped Duo, "we should make a point of having a reunion at least once a year."

"Yeah, why not?" added Sally.

"I think it's a _great_ idea," added Hilde.

"I admit, this is an idea I could also approve of," added Wufei.

Quatre nodded, "Tell you what then Guys, why don't you leave it with me," he suggested excitedly, "I'll see what I can do about arranging something for next year."

"You okay now Fumio?" asked Heero, gently wiping Fumio's tears away with his thumbs as they stood just outside the main entrance.

Fumio nodded, "I'll be all right, thanks Heero," he sniffed, forcing a slight smile.

"Well, you certainly made an impression on those guys, especially Noin," he commented, "I've never seen her act like that before."

They turned to face the placard embedded on the entrance Torii, identifying the beautiful building beyond as the Sakuragoaka Monastery.

"Hey, welcome home Fumio," Heero smiled.

Fumio looked up loyally at him, "You too Heero, welcome home brother."

 **Epilogue...**

By the autumn of that same year, and with the help of Lama Banai, Fumio was finally cured of his terrifying flashback episodes.

Heero stayed on at the monastery and was later appointed the official position 'head of security'. For his very first task in that role, he tracked down Yoshiyuki-san and invited him to become a personal bodyguard to Fumio. Yoshiyuki accepted and loyally remains at Fumio's side to this very day, regaining the sense of honour and dignity he never thought he would get back.

Wufei, who currently teaches at a famous martial arts academy in China, also became a reserve bodyguard and remains enlisted for immediate call-up if ever he is needed.

Quatre remains at the Winner mansion nearby, overseeing the family business mainly from there. He still visits the brothers regularly. In the early autumn, he presented Yatimah, as a gift to Fumio. She now lives in the huge field next to the monastery and has never been more happy or contented.

The summer gathering of AC197 was the first of what became an annual event that still continues to this day.

 **THE END  
**

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